Secrets Revealed
by Megwill
Summary: "Beckett got a faraway look in her eye as she caught Esposito's barely-there nod, and then looked at Ryan who wore a grim face. Suddenly, it registered with her - what they might have discovered. Her pulse began to race; her heart was going to come out of her chest. She had to control her breathing at the possibility of what may be." Kate is strong, but facing this part of her past
1. An Unexpected Revelation

AN: Okay, so this is my second Castle fic. Please bare with me. I hope you enjoy. Oh and huge shout-out to Invcastle for not only helping me out with this story, but telling me Castle was worth the watch! IvnCastle you Rock Girl! Best Beta ever! ;)

* * *

Secrets Revealed

Esposito had his hands behind his head and legs on his desk. He and Ryan were bullshitting with each other in the pit, speaking of the weekend, specifically Ryan's wedding this past weekend.

"So, you're a married man now, Bro!" Espo smiled. "You realize what this means?"

Ryan looked at his partner. "What?"

"You're done. Life as you know it… Bro, you just-" Espo started.

Beckett walked into the pit, "Break it up, guys, we've got a case."

Espo unfolded his arms from behind his head and took his feet off his desk. "Whatcha got for us, Beckett?" asked Esposito.

"The parents of a nine year old girl were murdered last night in downtown Manhattan. Social Services has the girl. She wasn't at the crime scene; spent the night at a friend's house," Beckett said.

"Manhattan?" asked Castle.

"That's what I said, Castle." Beckett gave him a look. "Well, what are we waiting for?" Beckett said as she grabbed her coat and started to head toward the elevator.

Partners Esposito and Ryan followed quickly, with Castle on Beckett's heels as always.

* * *

"Damn, whoever did this definitely was trying to leave a message."

Everyone shot Ryan one of those "no shit" looks.

"Well whatever the hell that scribble is, it has to mean something," Espo said.

"Yes, but what?" asked Castle staring at the writing scrawled on the wall.

Beckett spoke up, "'Скажите Привет Ребенку' means 'Say hi to the kid' in Russian."

"Beckett, I didn't know you spoke Russian." Castle said, surprised.

Kate looked at Castle and smiled, "Learn something new every day, don't you Castle?" Beckett then focused her attention on the team. "Let's get the evidence back to the lab. Castle, come on; we need to go speak to that little girl. Whoever did this knew the Baskovs had a child, and she is most likely in danger. Esposito, Ryan, run her and see if she has any family that we need to call," Beckett said.

"On it," Ryan said.

Beckett and Castle soon found themselves at Social Services speaking with the child's social worker, Lilian Martin. "Her name is Annika, pronounced 'On-uh-kah.' Most Americans mispronounce unusual names." Miss Martin said.

Beckett looked at the little girl sitting quietly in a chair with her dark pink and black Jansport book bag. It was most likely filled with possessions she had brought with her for her sleep over the previous night.

"She doesn't appear to be of Russian descent," said Beckett to Miss Martin.

"No, Annika was adopted at birth," said Miss Martin.

"How old is she?" asked Beckett.

"She just turned ten two months ago in September," said Miss Martin.

Beckett bent down in front of the little girl, "Hi, Annika." Annika slowly lifted her brown eyes from the ground to meets Kate's. "My name is Detective Beckett, but you can call me Kate."

Annika nodded acknowledging Kate. "Annika, I'm sorry to tell you this, but your parents are dead. They died last night," Beckett said.

"I know," Annika said quietly.

"How did you know? Did someone tell you?" Kate asked.

"I knew before they told Layla's mom."

Kate glanced at Castle and raised her brow. "How did you know before Layla's parents knew?"

Castle knelt beside Kate, "Hi, I'm Kate's partner, Rick Castle. You can call me Castle, everyone else does. I have a little girl, too."

Annika nodded at Castle in acknowledgment.

"Who is Layla?" Kate asked.

"My friend." Annika said.

"When did you go over to Layla's house?"

"Yesterday." Said Annika.

"Did you sleep over at Layla's last night?" Castle asked. Strangely familiar hazel eyes locked onto his, and Annika nodded yes.

Kate stood up. "Miss Martin, have you spoken with the people she was staying with last night?"

"Of course. We picked her up from the house and informed them of the situation. Their names are Kyle and Jocelyn Scott."

"Did you tell Annika then?" Kate asked.

"Yes, after we told Kyle and Jocelyn," Miss Martin said.

Castle was listening to Kate's conversation as he stood beside her.

Kate bent down in front of Annika once more. "Annika, how did you know your parents died before Layla's parents did?"

Annika was quiet, glancing nervously amongst the adults. She had a secret she didn't want to tell or, more importantly, was told not to tell.

"Annika, you can tell us," Kate said.

Annika only shook her head no.

"Did someone tell you not to tell anyone?" asked Kate, inhaling. Pulling information from this kid was like pulling teeth.

Annika just stared at Kate, neither nodding yes nor shaking her head no.

"I do believe someone is hiding a secret," Castle whispered as he and Kate stood together.

"Miss Martin, we may need to bring her down to the precinct later for further interrogation. This office isn't the place to pull the type of information out of her. We need what she says documented and on video footage, if she reveals anything of use," informed Beckett.

"Of course. Let me tell my supervisor, and we will be down shortly," said Miss Martin.

"Thank you," Beckett said as she turned to leave with Castle, but before walking out of the office Castle waved and called a quick, "Bye, Annika."

The little girl looked up at him with hazel eyes, - but said nothing.

Beckett called Espo to let them know she was going to talk to Kyle and Jocelyn Scott. "Found anything more about the Baskovs?"

"Not yet, but we pulled financials, and our victims were loaded. The kid attends Allen-Stevenson Elementary school," said Espo, naming one of the most exclusive private schools on the island.

"Yeah, well I just spoke with the kid, and she sounds like she knew her parents were going to die last night. I think that's why they sent their daughter to spend the night at a friend's house," Beckett said. "I'm bringing her in for interrogation; she's hiding something."

"Okay, but I call setting up the conference room. I don't want to do an interrogation with a nine year old," Espo said.

"Me neither!" Ryan's shout was heard in the background.

"Yeah, okay guys… I'm not going to be all hard-ass on a kid. I've done this before guys. I got it. You're off the hook. Just make sure the conference room is set up as a mock interrogation room. The kid and her social worker will feel more comfortable in there. Oh, and Annika just turned ten two months ago," added Beckett.

"Yeah, we'll leave it up to you to make the kid cry," said Espo.

"I already have a rapport with the girl," Beckett said, and Espo gave a mocking chuckle.

"Goodbye, Esposito," Beckett said flatly with an eye roll.

"What was that about?" Castle asked as Kate's car came to a stop in front of the Scott's house.

"Nothing. Let's go, Castle," said Beckett.

* * *

Beckett and Castle were sitting on the Scott's living room couch across from the Scotts as their daughter was told to play in her room for the time being.

"Did the Baskovs say anything out of the ordinary when they dropped Annika off to spend the night last night?" asked Kate.

"No, they weren't anxious or anything. The only thing out of the ordinary was the sleepover. Anya, Annika's mother called up not twenty minutes before they dropped Annika off and asked if Annika could stay the night. It was not a planned sleepover. Anya and Ivan were usually very good at planning things in advance," Jocelyn said.

"Do you know if the Baskovs had any family?" asked Beckett.

"No, I'm sorry I don't. Although, they never spoke of any family from Russia, and they just moved to the States two years ago."

"Thank you," said Beckett. "We will be staying in touch with you on the case."

Castle smiled and expressed his thanks as well and followed Beckett back into her car. Next stop, precinct.

"We have nothing." Beckett was frustrated and exhaled loudly once in the driver's seat.

"Esposito and Ryan will-"

"Castle, that isn't the point. The point is that Gates is going to be pissed off and will continue to be until I can give her something. I have nothing to calm that storm."

"Aw, are you are getting all literary on me, Beckett? Metaphors? I'm touched."

"Castle." Beckett glared at him.

"Ok, got it. I'll shut-up."

"Castle!" Beckett said sternly, and Castle raised his hands in the air.

"Don't shoot! I'm unarmed," he said, and Beckett rolled her eyes at him, a slight smirk of annoyance and perhaps more than anything begrudging amusement, gracing her lips. He helped to break the tension. He helped keep her job fun, even if he acted like a thirteen year old school boy sometimes. Okay, a lot of the time. Sometimes she wished she could let herself act that way too.

When Castle and Beckett walked into the precinct, they saw Annika waiting next to her social worker in a chair.

Beckett walked up to Ryan and Esposito. "What've you got?"

The truth was Ryan and Espo didn't have much of anything, and the murder board looked pretty sparse. "A bored little girl and an impatient social worker who are ready for you. They have filled out all of their paper work, and the conference room is ready," Espo said.

Beckett looked at Annika and Miss Martin. "All right, but you'd better have something for us to go on by the time I am done in here. If you find anything important or relevant to the case, let me know immediately." Beckett said to Ryan and Esposito then walked toward the conference room.

Castle walked backward after Beckett toward the conference room, miming running legs with his hands. Ryan glared at him, and Espo said, "You're next, Castle."

Beckett stopped before she went into the mock interrogation room and turned to look at Castle, "You are acting as my witness in this case, Castle, okay?"

Castle nodded and walked into the conference room with Beckett. As he and Kate sat down across from Annika and her social worker, Castle studied the silent little girl's body language.

She sat very straight with her long dark brown hair reaching halfway down her back, though her hazel eyes were her most enigmatic characteristic. They were bright, yet full of flecks of dark brown. They just stared inscrutably at whatever or whoever she was looking at; they were like looking through a kalediscope of brown and green.

Esposito and Ryan hovered over the computer as they ran a ten year old girl, Annika Ivanovna Baskov whose birthday was September 17, 2003. They were still unsure if she had any family. The Scott's were of no help in that department.

"Get anything?" asked Ryan.

"You see anything on the screen, Bro?" said Espo.

Ryan was quiet as the men watched the child's name run through the database for any family. Nothing.

"Try the biological mother. We know she is adopted, the adoption agency she went through might know something," Espo suggested.

"We can't do that," Ryan disagreed.

"The kid has no family here or in Russia from the looks of it. Just do it," Espo encouraged.

By the time they reached the twelfth agency with no luck, they were beginning to get discouraged. "Maybe we will get lucky; it's the twelfth after all," Ryan chuckled, and Espo started to laugh along and then stopped short.

"Sometimes I wonder if you have a little touchy-feely feminine in you, man." Espo said, and Ryan glared at him.

"Hey, I'm not the one who was whining about not having someone to not bring to the wedding," Ryan said, and Espo glared back.

"You know there is only one glazed donut left in the break room," said Espo.

"You wouldn't-" Ryan started, and then the computer stopped on a name and started to blink blue. Beckett, Katherine - November 17, 1979.

The partners looked at each other, and then Espo spoke, "You fool! We are looking for Annika Baskov, _September 17_, not Katherine Beckett, _November 17_. Now we are going to have to run this all over again."

"Wait, look," Ryan clicked on Beckett's name. The screen read, _United States citizen, Beckett, Katherine DOB November 17, 1979 participated in a closed Russian adoption of a female child on September 17, 2003. Biological father unknown. _

Ryan choked out a "_Holy shit" _and then he and Esposito looked at each other, stunned.

Esposito inhaled and exhaled, "The birth dates match. It's 2012 and the kid was born in 2003. Although, that would make her nine."

"Except she just turned ten two months ago _September 17, 2003."_

"Didn't Beckett go to Russia when she was younger?" Ryan asked.

"I don't know. She speaks and reads Russian," Espo pointed out as Ryan, and he bounced facts back and forth between each other trying to convince themselves what they were seeing was, in fact, true.

"Naturally, when they need someone to go to Russia for a case, Beckett goes. She speaks the language fluently," Ryan says.

"No, no wait. Why would they send a rookie to Russia alone? They wouldn't. Never gonna happen." Espo reasoned.

"As a translator and for some on the job training, maybe?" Ryan was starting to look like he had seen a ghost as he sat straight and then looked at Espo.

"Training would have been over," Espo stated glancing at the dates on the screen, trying to put together a mental timeline of Beckett's life before homicide.

"You tell her." Espo and Ryan said at the same time. The dates were a match, and Kate's name was somehow coming up as having been involved in the 2003 Annika Baskov adoption case, despite their lack of belief.

"Rock, paper, scissors?" Espo suggested.

"Fine."

They balled up their fists, and Ryan threw. He held out scissors as Espo held up waggling fingers.

"What the hell is that?" asked Ryan.

"A bomb, it beats everything." Espo announced proudly.

"What?! Re-draw," Ryan said, as Espo pursed his lips.

"Sore loser," Espo stated.

"So not cool," Ryan exhaled in defeat.

Before walking toward the conference room Espo saved the site on the computer and exited the screen. Beckett's business was her own. Well, kind of.

* * *

"Annika," Beckett went on, "Who told you not to say anything to anyone?"

Silence.

Annika sat straight in her chair and stared Kate down. Kate stared back into eyes that mirrored her own.

Annika wasn't going to say anything. Kate sighed and walked out of the conference room into Espo and Ryan. "How is it going?" asked Ryan.

"We have a tough-ass, tight-lipped little girl on our hands. What about you? Find anything?" Beckett asked.

Ryan looked to Esposito, "Yeah."

"Well?" asked Beckett.

The partners shared another glance, and Ryan spoke, "We aren't sure. We wanted to show you first."

Beckett got a faraway look in her eye as she caught Esposito's barely-there nod, and then looked at Ryan who wore a grim face. Suddenly, everything was registering at what they might have discovered. Her pulse began to race, and her heart was going to come out of her chest. She had to control her breathing at the possibility of what may be.

"Okay. Yeah, sure." She started to follow Espo and Ryan over to their desks. When Castle started to come along as well, Kate turned to face him. "I will be right back. Castle, can you stay here in the conference room, with Annika and Miss Martin, please?"

First, Castle looked confused, but once Kate explained he seemed okay with the idea. Though, as Castle sat across the table from Annika and her social worker he couldn't help but hear Kate's distinctively worried voice as she asked him to wait with Annika. He knew something was up, he just wasn't sure of what.

Ryan sat at his desk next to Espo and inhaled as he brought up the screen that had Kate's name listed as having been involved in Annika's adoption.

Kate stood arms crossed around the computer and inhaled a breath, her jaw set. Espo and Ryan looked up at her from their seats in wonder, but Kate neither nodded yes or no, only stared at the screen in a trance like state much like the little girl's in the conference room.

"Run her again." She mumbled as she grabbed her coat and walked off straight toward the stairwell without another word.

Castle's curiosity got the best of him, and he walked up where Beckett had once stood. "What's up with Beckett?" Castle asked, and then his eyes fell to the computer screen.


	2. A Haunting Heartache

Thanks again to Ivncastle my awesome beta! Also, thank you guys for seeming to like this story ;) Meg

* * *

Secrets Revealed

Esposito, Ryan and Castle didn't say a word to each other for at least thirty seconds which felt more like thirty minutes.

"What _is_ this?" asked Castle in a hitched, yet curious voice.

Espo and Ryan looked up at him from their chairs, and Espo exhaled, "Your guess is as good as mine, Bro."

"Did Beckett say anything?" asked Castle.

"Just to run the girl again." Said Espo.

"And? Did you?" Castle wondered.

"Yeah, and it came up the same. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a mistake. It looks like Beckett was involved in Annika Bastov's adoption somehow; we just can't confirm that yet," Ryan said.

Castle ran his hands through his hair. "If her leaving that social worker and little girl in the conference room and high-tailing it out of here without a word isn't some kind of confirmation, I don't know what is," Castle said somberly, a bit frustrated at Ryan and Espo for not realizing that.

Espo ran his hand down his face exhaling as he glanced at the screen again_. United States citizen, Beckett, Katherine__,__ DOB November 17, 1979 participated in a closed Russian adoption of a female child on September 17, 2003. Biological father unknown. _The sentences were burned into his mind.

"It just says she participated in the adoption, Castle. We don't know if-" Ryan was cut short.

"Of course you do. Beckett doesn't have a kid, which only leaves for one other alternative." Castle said.

Ryan closed his eyes and ran his hand over his face, glancing at Esposito he said, "Someone has to go get the girl and her social worker and see them out," Ryan reminded everyone, only no one moved. Deep down, they all knew that the little girl sitting in the conference room was in fact the daughter of Kate Beckett.

No one wanted to be the one to return to the room, to experience the surreal feeling of seeing what their friend may have looked like as a ten-year old, nor to be the one responsible for sending the child away again after all this time. Though, it had to be done. The social worker had her own job to do as well.

"I'll go," Espo offered, stood, and walked toward the conference room without another word.

Castle looked at Ryan, "Where did she go?" his voice was a bit desperate, and Ryan knew why but couldn't help. He wanted to tell Castle to let her go, wherever she had gone. She would have told them she wanted to be alone, but he knew better. While he knew he couldn't help, if there was one person on this earth that could, it was Castle.

"Sorry Castle, I don't know. I saw her walk off that way." Ryan shrugged and glanced in the direction Beckett walked off in. His mind elsewhere, still staring at the screen.

As Castle looked at the floor he thought a moment as to what solitary place was in that area of the precinct. What direction would she have gone in to be completely alone? Suddenly, he too was walking off in the same path Ryan had gestured Kate had.

Ryan sighed as Castle walked after Beckett. He glanced to the conference room just in time to see his partner walk inside the room, he looked up at the ceiling and then back to the computer mumbling, "So much for the rest of my Honeymoon."

* * *

Espo opened the door and stepped into the conference room. Miss Martin and Annika looked up at him, and for a second he was speechless while a mini-Beckett stared at him expecting him to speak. Annika's eyes held the same enigmatic emotion that came with her mother's, their color a mirror of older, more jaded hazel eyes, irises of dark brown littered with specks of green and gold.

Esposito exhaled, bracing himself. "Miss Martin, I'm Detective Esposito. Detective Beckett was called away, I just needed to tell you that we are finished for today. You and Annika are free to leave and we will be in touch."

"Thank you, Detective. If you need to speak with Annika further, please contact me, and I will be able to put you in contact with her temporary foster parents." Miss Martin said.

"Yes, I'm aware of how the system works," Espo managed to smile at Miss Martin and then glanced at the little girl momentarily. She was stoic, in her own world as she stared almost with fascination at the chair she had once sat in. For a child, she had a lot on her mind, "Thank you. We'll be in touch." Espo exhaled.

Miss Martin smiled, "If you need to speak with her any more tonight, you can reach us at social services as we wait to see if any relatives or close friends come to claim her tonight."

"Thank you," was all Espo could manage as he watched Annika and Miss Martin walk away.

* * *

Kate kept her composure and walked with purpose until she reached the door to the stairwell, where she let her emotions overtake her and literally fell onto the steps in a heap. She sat on the cold concrete steps alone with her thoughts. Her head held in her hands she inhaled, tamping down her emotions. Tears welled but she refused to allow them spill over. She wouldn't cry; crying showed weakness. She looked up as she wiped at a tear that had escaped the corner of her eye, easily missed without expert vision. She squeezed her eyes shut, and memories flashed across the backs of her lids, assaulting her, and soon she couldn't help cover her mouth at the racking silent sobs that had hit her, knocking the wind out of her.

* * *

She thought back to the night she got home sitting in her bathroom waiting for the pregnancy test to show a result. In the end, all three different brands were positive, and a blood test confirmed. A nerve-wracking visit to the OB showed that she was three months along. She debated heavily about an abortion, but she was too far along in the pregnancy.

So, when the precinct was having trouble finding a young female officer to go to Russia for six months, Kate jumped at the chance. Montgomery was skeptical, but her training officer Royce had put in a good word after he realized how badly she really wanted to go. He told her that he told Montgomery she was an excellent officer and an extremely quick learner. That she would be ready for homicide when she returned from Russia. That she was too good for vice, her drive overwhelmingly strong.

The Captain informed her she was leaving for Russia. She was twenty four and ready to become a detective. An officer who just learned she was also three months pregnant. She wondered how the hell she didn't know. Why didn't her periods end? Why didn't she have morning sickness? But it was too late for questions now. She was only a statistic now of women who bucked the traditional symptoms of pregnancy. She was also boarding a plane to Russia tomorrow at 4am.

Kate shook her head to bring herself back to the present and was nearly surprised to find herself in the stairwell. She looked down to the cement ledges descending in front of her, the closest of which stained with her tears. She wiped her face, shut her eyes and lifted closed eyes toward the ceiling as another memory raced through her mind.

_She was sitting alone at her gate, so many people were around her, yet she felt so alone. She took her hand, let it fall to her stomach, and she shut her eyes and leaned her head back on the hard back of the plastic chair lining the gate areas. They announced__her flight was boarding, but she didn't hear. A man nudged her and asked her if she was on the flight headed to Moscow. She opened her eyes inhaled, exhaled deliberately, "Yes. Thanks." She quickly got up from her seat to join the others waiting to board the plane._

She recalled when they went out for drinks the night before she left, everyone was joking enviously that she was going to get to spend her birthday in Russia and get away from everything. As she pretended to drink the beer in front of her, she knew otherwise.

She would never forget the date September 17, 2003. She was in a hospital and had just given birth to a child that she was going to give away. November 17, 2003 ended up being the worst birthday she had ever had.

* * *

"_Do you want to see her?" asked the nurse._

"_It's a girl?" Kate asked, torn__between wanting to gaze upon the child she'd given birth to and not wanting to get attached to the little life she'd chosen to give away. _

"_Yes, Miss Katherine. You are sure you don't want to see her?" _

"_I am sure," Kate looked to the side of her bed and to another woman who was doing the same thing as she, giving a child away. The baby was so cute. Kate tried to smile, but only tears fell. She didn't know her heart could feel so sad. Kate drew in a shaky breath and looked in the direction the nurse disappeared with the child, but she was gone and another nurse was back explaining to Kate what paperwork she needed to fill out. Kate nodded taking__ the paperwork with__ shaking hands. As she read through the multitude of papers, she came across the line for biological father; she wrote unknown; it wasn't really anyone's business anyway. _

Kate was drawn back to reality on the steps of the cold stairwell. She didn't hear footprints coming down the stairs until he was already sitting next to her. Castle didn't say anything and neither did Kate. Kate didn't even look at him; instead she stared at the last step like it held all the answers to questions not yet asked. Castle took his hand and put it on her knee. She slowly looked up at him with a red, tear-stained face and puffy eyes.

"I'm fine; everything is fine. Castle, you shouldn't have followed me," Kate tried to summon her best commanding voice, but her heart was so sad and her soul felt so immoral that her voice was anything but convincing. It was fragile.

"I know you are." Castle met her eyes locking onto them in a silent understanding, "It'll be okay, Kate," Castle took her hand in his and squeezed it. Kate's eyes held to his in a moment that was just theirs. Silent words of reassurance and gratitude drifted through the air between the two, and Kate released the breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

She looked down to the ground, "I need to get back to work; there's more to do and less to think of." Her voice was still soft, suggesting.

"Okay," Castle agreed, but neither of them moved to get up. She knew he wasn't going to leave, and she also knew that he knew she wasn't okay. Instead Kate leaned her head onto his shoulder and sighed as they sat together, cold seeping into their bones.

"That is the first time I have ever seen her," Kate whispered, her head on his shoulder. "I didn't want to see her in Russia; it would have made it harder… you know?" Kate sighed quietly, and he realized that was all the sharing she was willing to do right then.

Castle nodded in understanding. This was her time to talk, and she would let it all out – eventually, when she was ready. So, until then he sat by her side in the cold stairwell, a shoulder to lean on, just like always.

* * *

_So just who is Annika's daddy? Oh no, Annika is off to foster care...poor Kate. Thanks for my five reviews last chapter guys! I appreciate it loads! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Don't forget your men and women overseas away from their families for the holiday's either! Now, third chap? What do you say?_


	3. Coffee Stains

A huge shout out to my awesome beta! I couldn't do it without you! Thanks a million Carole aka Ivncastle! Yay Castle is on tonight :D Hope you guys like chap three...

* * *

Esposito looked at Ryan but said nothing; sometimes no words held more meaning than actual words themselves. Ryan sighed, "What did Martin say?"

Esposito gave Ryan a somber shrug. "If no one claims the child by tonight, then she will be put into temporary foster care. Just regular protocol."

"Yeah," Ryan somberly agreed. Only this wasn't a regular case or just any child. This was Beckett's daughter, at least it seemed to be, according to the records in front of them on the computer screen.

There was a deafening silence that hung over the desk for thirty seconds.

"We still don't have any leads, and according to Beckett that little girl is as tight-lipped as they come," Esposito said.

"That little girl is our only lead right now," Ryan said.

The partners were stating the obvious, making small talk just to break the tension.

"Where is Castle?" Esposito asked, and Ryan was silent, giving Espo an incredulous look.

"When- how long have they been gone?" Espo wondered.

"Well, you saw Beckett leave. Castle went to find her right after you left to go and talk to Miss Martin and Annika," Ryan said, and Espo nodded.

Gates walked up to Espo and Ryan, and the two suddenly sat up straighter. "Sir."

"Where is Detective Beckett?" Gates asked.

"I'm not sure." Ryan said innocently, quickly but unobtrusively minimizing the open window on the computer.

"You're not sure?" Gates asked, clearly annoyed with the answer.

Espo spoke up, "She went to the restroom."

Gates eyed them both suspiciously and crossed her arms. "Fine." She strode purposely back to her office.

Espo and Ryan looked at each other. "What the hell was that about?" Espo wondered.

"I'm not sure." Ryan said, referring to his exchange with Gates.

"I _meant_ Gates," Espo said, correcting Ryan's assumption.

"I'm- uh..." he blushed a little, "yeah…still not sure," Ryan stuttered, and Espo glared at him, embarrassed at his partner's moment of stupidity.

He turned in his desk chair to head to the break room for some coffee and startled back, finding the very subjects of their discussion standing behind him. Silence screamed as tension hung heavily in the air surrounding them, like ugly, black smoke preventing escape from the explosion that had erupted quietly and almost without notice just a short time ago

"So, I take it someone wrapped up with Miss Martin and Annika?" Beckett asked as if nothing had ever happened, as if Annika was not the child she had given up in Russia, and this was just any other case.

"Uh…" Ryan only stared.

"Yeah, I did. I escorted them out," Espo quickly said.

For a millisecond Kate's wall dropped, and one could peer beyond them to see the pain and confusion, the fear and the longing, but only for a second. "They're gone?" Her voice was soft and curious.

Ryan glanced to the floor, while Espo nodded in confirmation. Kate stood straighter, inhaling and exhaling deliberately.

"Oh. Okay. What did Miss Martin say?" asked Kate, a bit hesitant, the rest of her mind still racing with thoughts of yesterdays.

"That if no one claimed Annika by tonight, she would be put into temporary foster care and that if we needed to speak to Annika anymore to contact her," Espo explained with caution. Ryan shared a quick, nervous glance with Castle.

"Thanks, Javi."

"No problem," Espo said, gently, and Beckett walked off toward the break room without another word.

Espo and Ryan looked up at Castle both asking him the same unspoken question.

"You guys are going to call and check on Annika tonight, right?" Castle asked, his tone uneasy and apprehensive.

"Obviously," said Espo.

"How long does she have to stay in foster care?" Castle asked, clearly concerned for the Kate's daughter's well-being.

"She is going to come in for questioning again, but usually until paperwork and processing say she is ready to be adopted," Espo's voice was full of empathy. "Though with the on-going investigation, Annika may have to go into protective custody. It really depends on this case and how vital Annika is to it." Espo sighed and Ryan agreed with a nod.

Castle puffed out a breath of pent-up frustration, "We have to- we need to solve this case as soon as possible," and then without another word he walked off toward the break room after Kate.

* * *

As Kate poured herself a cup of coffee rapid- fire memories flooded her mind. The scenes that had once seemed so hazy now felt so real, it was overwhelming. She thought of the good times she'd had with the man she'd never told would be a father, of Russia, the delivery, every September anniversary, but mostly she thought of lost, yet familiar hazel eyes staring back into hers mere hours before.

"Damn it!" Kate cursed under her breath as she poured too much steaming hot coffee into her cup. It overflowed, the scalding liquid burning her hand. Castle walked in just as she dropped the cup, watching helplessly as it shattered on the floor. She stood staring motionless at the mess she had made, her mind in another place thinking of another mess.

He didn't move but waited until she looked up before slowly walking over to her. He grabbed some napkins and cleaned up the mess then poured her another cup. "I wouldn't worry about it. Though, if it was Starbucks…"

She cracked a smile, and he handed her the cup he had made for her. "Thanks, Castle," she smiled a shy smile.

"Anytime." he said, his smile mirroring hers. "How's your hand?"

"Oh, it's fine. I didn't burn it too badly," This time her smile was forced, her expression somber.

"Kate?" Castle asked, his voice soft and ever cautious.

She glanced at him and wished she could allow herself to let him hold her and rest her head on his chest. With his simple presence she could already feel so much devotion emitting from him, and rushing over her. She knew, knew from past experiences, that his embrace gave her strength and comfort like none she'd ever felt before.

She couldn't, though; she was a strong, independent woman, and she had always handled this aspect of her life by herself in the past. Nothing made it any different now. Then again, everything did. She looked into Castle's stormy blue eyes as hazel ones haunted her, and a gloss formed in her own eyes.

"It just… it stings, Castle." Kate said holding up her hand, but speaking of Annika.

"I imagine it does. And, Kate, it's still a wound. One which I imagine will leave a scar." Castle understood.

"Yeah…" Kate looked at her hand, "I didn't mean to lose my grip." She exhaled shakily. "It was just so hot, Castle…I couldn't hold it anymore, and so I just… let it go," She wasn't only speaking of the coffee she had let go, but the child as well. Her decision too heavy, just as the coffee was too hot. Kate looked to the ground where a thousand fractured pieces of ceramic once lay and shook her head.

Castle took a step toward her and took her burned hand gently in his; it was still warm. He wet some clean napkins with cool water and wrapped her hand in them. "Everyone loses their grip sometimes," His words laced with an underlying meaning that implied he was speaking of much more than a coffee spill, "Besides I thought I did an okay job cleaning it up." Castle smiled, as did Kate.

Kate locked eyes with his. "Thank you, Castle," her words imbued with far more gratitude than a simple cleaning of a coffee spill merited.

"Always," he smiled slightly in return.

* * *

"So what now?" Ryan asked Espo.

Espo ran his hand over his head, "I don't know. You think we should check on Annika's status?"

"You mean call and see if anyone has picked her up yet?" Ryan asked.

"No, to see if she was abducted by aliens. Come on, Bro." Espo shot back.

Ryan exhaled, "It's almost five. Martin said they would hold her until tonight."

"I had a friend in the system as a kid. The only reason they will hold her late is if we call." Espo said.

"Then what is your plan if no one has picked her up? Even if Beckett wanted that little girl out tonight, you know as well as I temporary custody takes forever, and it's inevitable that she'll end up in temporary foster care no matter what any of us do." Ryan rationalized.

"Yes, I know, but tell me: calling hurts, why?" Espo pushed as he picked up the phone and started to dial the number Martin gave them.

Ryan tried to listen intently to Esposito's conversation, but he couldn't hear all he wanted from the one-sided conversation. Instead he waited until Espo got off the phone. "And?" Ryan asked.

"No one came. She's on her way to the Greenway's, her temporary foster family, right now." Espo said, adding, "I told you they wouldn't wait until tonight."

"You want a cookie?" Ryan retorted to his 'told you so' remark.

"Actually, a cookie sounds good; but what's even better is I have the Greenway's number and address." Espo smiled holding up a piece of paper with a cocky smile. Ryan looked up, and Espo turned in his chair to follow his partner's gaze to see what was behind him.

"Were you able to call Martin and check on Annika yet?" asked Castle. Espo glanced around for Beckett and found her at her desk staring intently at her computer screen.

"Yeah, she is with a temporary foster family, the Greenways." Ryan tried to sound upbeat.

"The kid is our only lead right now; you think Beckett is going to want to interview her again tomorrow?" Espo cut to the chase and asked Castle. He would know better than anyone what she would want to do.

Castle inhaled slowly and thought of the coffee mug she had dropped moments ago and her emotional outburst in the stairwell, "If Annika has to come in tomorrow she is not going to want anyone else to question her. Now if she _wants_ her to come in tomorrow is a different story."

Kate glanced at the guys; she knew they had to be speaking of her. She started to get up, but then decided sitting this one out would probably be best for everyone involved. Her mind wasn't in the right place to make the type of decisions that needed to be made right now.

"Annika is going to have to come in at some point," Espo said blatantly, "no matter who questions her."

"Do you think any family will claim her?" Castle asked, "What about Russian family?"

"We checked Russia, and she has no family there. The only chance for someone to claim her would be family friends. Kind of hard to believe she has no family in Russia or the States," Ryan pointed out, "Wonder why?"

"That kid didn't break; I think she knows something. Someone scared that kid silent." Espo shook his head at the absurdity of everything that had happened in the past 24 hours.

Suddenly, Castle had a revelation, "Have you checked their will?"

"The Baskovs? Yeah, of course, " Espo stated obviously.

"Who are the beneficiaries?" Castle wondered.

"Besides Annika, there's only a Sylvia Grissom," Espo said, "We are going to question her tomorrow. She is dying and needs a new heart. She's been in and out of the hospital for a few years."

"She could have easily hired someone to kill the Baskovs. She does need a new heart, which doesn't come cheap. Nor do years of hospital bills." Castle pointed out.

"She wouldn't be able to come and get Annika from Social Services right away either." Espo smiled.

"Maybe we can get her protective custody after all." Ryan's tone was hopeful. Castle looked up to a lonely Beckett and walked over to her desk.

"You call the Greenways, and I will call Martin. We're bringing her in again tomorrow." Espo picked up the phone as did Ryan. Out of the corner of Espo's eye he saw Beckett at her desk and Castle in his respective chair. She was on the phone, and he couldn't help wonder with whom.

After an hour of phone calls and some more dead end research into the Baskovs' financials and their reasons for immigrating to the States, it was eight thirty.

Ryan sighed, and Espo cursed as he fell back into his chair and then turned to look at his partner.

"Martin said it would be fine," Espo didn't really know what else to say. "She asked about the Baskov's will as well."

"Mrs. Greenway said that she could bring her in at ten after the rest of the kids were in school." Ryan didn't have much to say either.

"Ten's good." Espo exhaled. "We should tell Beckett she is going to be here tomorrow morning."

"Yeah-uh, do you want to text her or let her know now?" Ryan wondered.

Espo glanced at the break room where Castle and Beckett had once again migrated, "Let's go home. I'll text Castle." Espo stood and grabbed his coat, "Night, Bro."

"Night." Ryan stared at the computer he had just shut down. The computer that had revealed Beckett's ten year old secret so quickly and easily. He took a deep breath and stood up, grabbing his coat off the back of his chair as well. He glanced at the break room before he left and saw Castle and Beckett deep in conversation. He was handing her a cup of coffee, and she smiled slightly. It seemed he was always there for her. When she ran; he followed. Whenever she pushed him away, he pushed right back. Ryan let out a deep breath; Castle really did love her.

* * *

Beckett walked back to her desk and glanced over at Ryan and Esposito's empty ones, "Well, I know how to make them run now. Just let them discover you have a kid," Kate joked, but it fell flat and neither she nor Castle laughed.

"Are you going to be-" Castle started, but was cut off by Kate.

"I'm fine, Castle. I just need to get some sleep, I need… I need to rest. It's been a long day." Kate said as she collected her things.

Castle nodded and checked his cell to see the text from Javi. As Kate walked toward the elevator, he stayed at the desk and watched her walk a moment lost in his own thoughts. She stopped and turned at the elevator, "You coming, Castle?"

"Oh, yeah, yes." Castle stammered as he quickly strode after Kate.

"Annika is coming in for questioning tomorrow at ten," Castle blurted out as they rode down in the elevator. Kate only stared at him and nodded in acknowledgment.

* * *

On the other side of town at the Greenway residence, Annika lay in a foreign bed in the pitch black darkness. She liked it that way, pitch black. She thought of her now dead mother and father, her friend Layla, Miss Martin, the lady police officer who had questioned her that day, but mostly she thought of the explanations that were given to her to keep quiet. She thought of the man that explained to her every reason, why every rule was so important for her to abide by. Annika remembered that silence was not something to be broken, for the consequences were harsh. She inhaled a shaky breath and stared into the night until she drifted off.

* * *

Beckett curled up on her side. It was 2:42 in the morning, and she was so tired, but sleep was nowhere to be found. Her past had returned to her full circle. She pulled in a shaky breath and didn't bother to wipe at the tear rolling down her cheek in the dark.

As Kate's mind whirred, she wondered of the hazel-eyed little girl and where she was that night. What she was thinking? Then again, she had wondered that every night for the last decade. Espo said Annika was going to be put in foster care if no one claimed her. She had a feeling no one had, and made a mental note to ask Espo about it tomorrow.

It sounded selfish and one might have found it strange that someone wouldn't fight to immediately get the child they gave away back as soon as possible. They may have thought that just because she didn't ask about Annika's status that she didn't wonder of her well-being, but the truth was she had wondered every day and every night for the past decade. Tonight was no exception, but she was barely able to stand never mind deal with law enforcement and Social Services. Until she was able to wrap her mind around all that had happened in the last twenty-four hours, to bring herself to make decisions that she'd never thought she'd have to make, she was going to have to hope that Annika was as safe and secure as she could be.

Though, she couldn't help but wonder what would she _do_ if no one came forward to claim her? Questions swirled in her head, knocking on the door to her conscious thoughts, demanding to be let in, decisions made. But she was so far from knowing those answers, from even knowing what tomorrow would bring, let alone what she would want or need in a week, a month, a year. Her heart trembled at the thought of seeing the solemn little girl again in the morning, both with fear and nervous anticipation. She knew she was going to have to question her again, but at the same time she knew she shouldn't be; policy prohibited detectives from questioning their relatives. She also knew that there was little hope of anyone but her being able to extract any information out of the stubbornly silent child.

Another tear escaped her eyes and rolled down her cheek. Her heart stung so badly, and Castle was correct: the burn had left a scar as a daily reminder of her painful yesterdays. She shivered and exhaled a shaky muffled cry. She wasn't giving up, but she was giving in as more tears rolled down her cheeks soaking her pillow in the early morning night.

* * *

_Poor Kate and what about Annika? We still don't know who the father is...but I do ;) Castle is so sweet to her...and who is this Sylvia Grissom? Hmmm...all in do time...and what exactly happened over in Russia?_


	4. The Burning Compartmets Of Her Heart

**Ok, so I'm posting this at the oddest time ever seeing as how it's Christmas Eve. Though, I just had to get it posted! So, Merry Christmas to whoever has time to read it. A huge, huge shout out and thanks to my amazing beta Ivncastle! Honest, she is awesome guys! So, Merry Christmas and btw this chap is the longest yet. I hope it's okay in the least, please lmk. Thanks Meg ;)**

* * *

Kate woke at 4:30 just like any other workday. Though, as she looked in the mirror before she left, she realized this morning wasn't going to be like every morning. This morning she was going to face her ten year old secret. Just as she compartmentalized her mother's murder, she had locked Annika away in one of the many heavily protected compartments of her heart. Though, just like her mother, Annika's presence still lingered, and she was unsuccessful in completely blocking the little girl out of her memories. She had never forgotten, no matter how hard she'd tried. Though, sometimes there was just too much time could not erase.

She squeezed her eyes closed tightly as she allowed memories to hit her full force. This time she didn't fight them, but allowed them to assault her mind, reopening old wounds that had never really healed to begin with.

_Russia was cold and lonely. Montgomery had let her go - on one condition; she was to bring a partner from the FBI and keep in contact on a daily basis with her precinct, as __is protocol with most foreign cases. The NYPD was not the __typical agency to choose for a foreign case, but they did have a female officer fluent in Russian and willing to go __for an extended period of time. _

"_Kate Beckett, NYPD." Kate introduced herself to the FBI agent she would be working with._

"_No shit," Said Melissa Metcalfe sarcastically, "Montgomery briefed me on you.__So, I've seen your file and photo. The female rookie whom speaks fluent Russian and is available to be my new partner."_

"_The one and only." Beckett said dryly in response to Metcalfe's sarcastic remark with a smart-assed one of her own. _

_They made their way back to the apartment they would share and call home for the next few months. For one doesn't stay in a hotel room for nearly a year. They began to immediately engross their selves in the case. Working on their suspects and victims financials and reporting back to their respective authoritive figures each week. _

_Their suspect ran a large pharmaceutical company and was allegedly running an underground sale of experimental as well as illegal medication back and forth from the States to Russia. Supposedly, he had another company in Texas and was starting one in northern California as to be closer to Canada. Russia had asked for help in catching the guy, and so far Beckett and Metcalfe's case file was looking more and more promising._

_Though, July had come quickly as had the fifth __month of her pregnancy. It was evening, and she had just gotten out of the shower in the apartment she shared with her partner. Metcalfe was lying in her respective bed idly __reading a book, "Kate, I hope you don't think I'm stupid."_

"_What are you talking about?" she __intoned resignedly, __her walls starting to__ fortify __as the older agent __prodded in a very predictable direction._

"_You're pregnan__t," __Metcalfe stated obviously__, and Kate adopted her customary poker face even as her insides trembled. She knew that this conversation had been coming, but hearing those words aloud had thrown her. __She scrambled for an answer, but words were lost. "You don't have to worry, I'm not going to ruin your career and tell your captain, but how do you plan on continuing to report back to him? You will show over the webcam. Your Captain will find out you lied to him. More importantly, you can't do your job pregnant."_

"_Why would you think that would ruin my career? Cops have babies all the time." Beckett tried._

_Metcalfe set down her book and shot Kate a condescending look. "Oh, please. Single cop comes overseas with no mention of her 'delicate condition', figure concealing clothing for someone who should have nothing to hide, and she mentions nothing to her roommate of two months. That, plus flash of terror in your eyes a few seconds ago tells me that isn't just about you getting knocked up. _Like I said_… I'm not stupid. I'm not going to rat you out, but you need to level with me." _

_She had been surprised that Metcalfe wasn't going to say anything to Montgomery, but not shocked she had noticed. She was a thin person and at 5 months, as with most secrets, time had revealed her secret within. _

"_You and I both know I was sent as a translator and nothing more__. Pregnancy won't hinder that__," Beckett said._

"_Okay, fine, but that doesn't answer my question," Metcalfe pressed._

"_Money." Beckett said, having thought everything through._

_Metcalfe gave her an assessing look before nodding for her to continue. _

"_I have a friend here; she's a doctor. I know she will take care of anything and everything I need." Kate paused as Melissa sat up giving Kate her full attention._

"_We say I was hurt, and my friend doesn't fill out all of my paperwork properly. That way you can finish the sting__, my situation will be taken care of, __and no one will __be the wiser." Beckett said, as if the plan was simple._

"_What are you going to do if you're ordered to go home?" Metcalfe wondered._

"_I won't say I'm hurt until after I have the child. I can continue to work with you until I'm physically no longer able to. I can then pass information on to you from behind closed doors. I didn't plan on leaving my partner__,__" Beckett said__. Hearing the intricacy of her plan,__ Metcalfe realized__ just __how much simpler it would have been for her to get an abortion. She would have thought with Kate Beckett's toug__h, __emotionally detached exterior that would have been her first choice, but she didn't know the whole story__,__ and she didn't plan on prodding. Though, she did have a feeling this pregnancy was more about lying to her Captain._

"_You realize__ that __by asking me to keep your deepest, darkest secret, I'm risking my job as well__, right? __This isn't high school anymore__,__ Beckett__; __there is more on the line than your peers and parents finding out __you're__ knocked up__,__" Metcalfe said skeptically._

_Beckett shrugged. "I never aske__d; __you offered. It is what it is. And I assure you, __Metcalfe, I am _well_ aware that __we are not in high school anymore."_

When Kate emerged from her recollection, she could feel a hot tear escaping. She quickly brushed it away, drawing in a shaky breath, then turned and walked out of her apartment.

* * *

Castle walked up to Esposito's desk, "Thanks, Espo… for the, uh, update last night."

"No problem, Bro." Espo nodded and held Castle's stare for a moment in understanding, both men thinking of Beckett.

They looked up to see Kate walking up to Ryan's desk, "Morning. Find anything new?"

"So far? No. So far money is the only possible motive we can come up with. The beneficiaries of Ivan and Anya's estate according to their will were Annika and a Sylvia Grissom. Espo and I are going to talk to Ms. Grissom today. She has been in and out of the hospital for a few years with a bad heart," Ryan looked at Kate in a way that made her feel uncomfortable. She felt like the elephant in the room, mainly because she was.

"Okay, find out everything you can about Ms. Grissom. And fine out why the Baskovs immigrated," Beckett said turning and heading to her desk.

"On it," Ryan didn't say they were already looking into it.

Beckett looked up at Castle and smiled slightly as she took her coffee from him, "Thanks, Castle."

"I was talking to Espo, and he said they were going to question a Sylvia Grissom today. The only other beneficiary besides Annika," Castle said.

"I know. I spoke with Ryan," Beckett said as she took a sip of her coffee.

"Oh, did they find anything new?" Castle wondered.

"No," Kate paused a moment to look at him, "But I might have."

Castle raised his brows in question.

"I made a call to an old friend, and he left me a voice mail this morning. I'm going to meet with him this evening after work. He may be able to help." Beckett smiled slightly, with a faraway look in her eye. Then she took another sip of her coffee.

Castle was silent, waiting for her to continue and tell him her line of thinking, but her mouth remained closed. For a millisecond Castle wondered who she was meeting with. Why wouldn't she tell him who it was? He felt his heart twist a little, but he dismissed the pang of hurt he felt that she wouldn't trust him with this information; this was far more than just a case to her, and she deserved some space as she worked through the thoughts and emotions that were no doubt overwhelming her. However, he couldn't pretend he didn't secretly wonder who Annika's father was ever since he found out Kate was her biological mother.

"Oh, Castle, do you know what time Ryan and Espo are questioning Sylvia Grissom?" Beckett wondered.

"At one, I believe," Castle answered, her question drawing him out of his thoughts.

"'Kay, thanks," Beckett replied, knowing they purposely were waiting until after she questioned Annika to leave. She knew that they had to wonder, wonder if she would be able to question the little girl like she was any other child.

"Yeah, no problem," Castle smiled, but the smile seemed a bit forced, his mind elsewhere.

* * *

Ten o'clock came sooner rather than later, and Kate drew in a shaky breath as she stared at Annika and her new foster mother, Mrs. Greenway. She studied Annika, her long, full, brown hair, heart-shaped face, high cheek bones. She noted that the girl was tall for her age, just as Kate had been, but most remarkable were the child's eerily familiar hazel eyes haunted with deep pain. Kate closed her eyes and exhaled deliberately.

Beckett walked up to the pair, extending her hand to Mrs. Greenway. "Detective Beckett."

"Rachel Greenway. It's nice to meet you, Detective Beckett." Mrs. Greenway smiled as she took Beckett's hand.

Espo and Ryan were watching as Beckett introduced herself. Castle had just walked out of the break room with two cups of coffee when he noticed she wasn't at her desk. He paused and let his eyes quickly scan the pit only to see her with Mrs. Greenway and Annika.

"I'm going to be interviewing Annika today, you can sit in if you would like. It will most likely make her more comfortable," Beckett informed her.

"Okay, but in actuality she knows you better than me." Mrs. Greenway said, and Kate sucked in a breath and looked at her in question, tamping down her surprise. "She only met me late yesterday evening. She met you yesterday morning," Mrs. Greenway explained.

"Of course," Beckett said, willing her heart rate to return to normal. "If you would just follow me to our conference room, we can begin."

Mrs. Greenway nodded, and followed Beckett toward the room, gingerly placing a guiding hand on Annika's stiff shoulder to urge her to follow the detective.

Castle watched them depart the pit, set Kate's coffee down on her desk, and walked over to Ryan and Espo.

"Hey," Ryan said.

"What's up, Castle?" asked Espo.

"Nothing, just- how long do you think she will be in there with her?" Castle asked, wondering how long Kate could maintain her mask as she stared the ghost of her past in the face.

"Probably an hour. Maybe more. You can't push a kid, especially one that's already spooked," Espo explained.

Castle leaned against Espo's desk as he gazed at the conference room and wondered how Kate was doing. She had always been excellent at wearing a mask, but he had shared moments with her where she had taken that mask off and allowed him to see her. He knew just how fragile the true Katherine Beckett really was.

* * *

Beckett sat across from Mrs. Greenway and Annika. She consciously reminded herself to continue breathing as Annika looked up at her with eyes that mirrored her own, both physically and emotionally. It was ironic, that out of everyone she had ever questioned in her career including hardened criminals and cold-blooded murderers, a ten-year-old girl was the one who made her the most nervous, the one who made her heart race anxiously.

"Hi, Annika, I'm Detective Beckett. We met yesterday. Mrs. Greenway brought you in this morning to talk to me again." Kate watched as Annika glanced at Mrs. Greenway and then back into her eyes.

"Annika, I'm very sorry for your loss. You must feel awfully scared and horribly sad, but I want you to know we are doing everything we can to find whoever did this," Kate explained, but Annika only stared at her with a blank expression, betraying no emotion.

Kate leaned back in her chair making herself comfortable. She had a feeling this could take a while.

"My partners are going to speak with a Ms. Sylvia Grissom today. Have you met her before? Maybe hear your parents talk about her?" Kate tried, but received the same blank stare. It was as if Annika was in another world studying Kate, looking her in her eyes so deeply it made Kate uncomfortable. She felt like the girl had her under a microscope dissecting her every word, but then again Annika looked at everyone like that. Kate's questioning only made it worse.

"I don't have either here, but I was wondering. Which flavor shake do you like better, chocolate or vanilla?" Beckett waited as she thought she saw Annika's head cock to the side a bit at the strange change in questions.

"Chocolate," Annika's voice wasn't a childish scared whisper, but one heavy with strength and pain.

Beckett smiled slightly, "Me too." Beckett decided to try a different approach. After her mother died she had a short stint where she didn't want to speak to anyone. She remembered when she started talking again. It was to a stranger in the park. Strangers seemed easier to talk too. They didn't know of her situation, didn't insist on talking to her about it, offering condolences, asking if she was okay.

Conversation with random strangers were completely devoid of pressure, which was what eventually got her to open up one day to a twenty year old kid in the park. They had met earlier that day and were walking around the park. Suddenly she blurted out that her mother was murdered and kept venting all she had held in for so long to the kid. He just listened. She remembered his name was Tony. Now she could only hope she could offer Annika the same comfort Tony had unknowingly offered her.

Beckett was quiet and looked at Annika, really studied the child's eyes and body language. Annika stared her down never moving. "What's your favorite color?"

Silence.

"You aren't very talkative, are you?" Beckett stated the obvious. "Are you shy, or do you just not want to talk?"

Silence.

"I'm not a mind reader. Which is it?" Beckett asked.

Annika was a bit surprised by her bluntness. She didn't baby her like most people, but treated her as a person, not the poor little girl who had lost her parents 48 hours ago.

"Shy." Annika said in a soft voice, her Russian accent crystal clear.

"I will accept that answer, but I don't know that I believe you." Beckett stated and for a second she could see the wounded pride flash in Annika's eyes. Annika didn't like that Beckett had called her a liar. Who was she to decide what she was or was not?

Annika looked at Kate with distaste as Beckett went on, "So, what is- or maybe I should ask _can you _tell me your favorite color?"

"Burgundy," Annika stated flatly.

"It's a good color." Beckett said nothing more as Annika stared at her. "So tell me about Russia."

"It's cold." Annika replied with the lift of one eyebrow. She was tired of the detective's frivolous questions even if she didn't want to speak of her more serious ones.

"When did you move to the States?" Beckett wondered.

"When I was eight." Annika crossed her arms and stared the detective down, a sullen expression on her face.

Kate knew whatever question she didn't answer was what they needed to look into.

Beckett leaned forward, "Have you ever heard of Ms. Grissom before today?"

Annika shrugged realizing the detective's game of frivolous questions. She should have just kept quiet, but she had to show some interest now. So, she shrugged.

"It's a yes or no question Annika." Beckett reminded the little girl with hazel eyes. The little girl she had tried to numb her heart to for ten years. Only it didn't work, she couldn't lie to herself. She felt, and she remembered it all. Suddenly, the room felt stuffy, it may as well been on fire with no escape. Her heart rate increased once more as she anticipated the ghost of her pasts next words.

"I don't remember," Annika informed Beckett.

* * *

"It's eleven. Do you think they will be coming out of there soon?" Castle asked Ryan who was deep in Grissom's financials.

Ryan looked up at Castle. He had to admit he felt bad for the guy; he was so worried about her. They all were, but it was no secret; he wasn't at the precinct for his books anymore. He would follow Kate to the ends of the earth, and the thing is- even if she wasn't ready to admit it to herself- she loved him just as much.

"She should be out soon," Ryan reassured him. Castle nodded looking at the floor, deep in thought; Ryan ducked his head to catch his eye. "Hey,. She'll be ok. It's Beckett."

"Yeah," Castle agreed, hoping he was right but always imagining the worst case scenario first. Kate had walls, but beyond those walls when she let the drawbridge down for him to come in, he had found a small, scared, crying child, frozen in time as she wandered down an alleyway alone.

* * *

"You don't remember?" Beckett asked again.

Annika shrugged.

"What _do_ you remember, Annika?" Kate threw out the open-ended question. She could answer it anyway she liked.

"Layla and I were about to go to sleep. Then the detectives showed up at her house and talked to Mr. and Mrs. Scott." Annika said simply.

"I know, and I'm sorry for your loss, Annika. I want to find the people responsible for hurting your parents, but I can't do that if you won't tell me how you knew about what happened to your parents before the detectives told the Scotts," Beckett explained.

"You know what?" Annika's voice had changed, her look distant.

"No. What?" Kate wondered.

"They didn't hurt them; they killed them." Annika deadpanned, but in listening closely, Kate could detect a hint of fear.

"Annika, do you have reason to think someone might hurt you?" Beckett queried.

Annika only stared at Kate, her lips sealed tight, but her eyes couldn't hide the quiet terror that crept in. "No," she said, but Beckett saw straight through her lie.

"Annika, we are going to find out who killed your parents, and if it involves a third party, one which might hurt you, I need you to let me know so I can help you, too," Beckett said, even while knowing Annika wasn't going to say a thing.

Annika only looked at her sarcastically. Her unspoken language suggesting she knew much more than she cared to share. Annika knew that Kate knew this, but it didn't matter. She reminded herself she would be fine on her own. She just had to keep quiet.

Kate sighed, frustrated and a bit nervous for the little girl in front of her with deep, haunting eyes. How did this happen? Her worst nightmares had suddenly become her reality. The daughter she gave away had ended up in the middle of her adoptive parents' murder. A homicide she was investigating no less. Annika's eyes were much older than any ten-year-old's eyes should be. Why did her only child's family members have to die unjustly, like her own mother? Was this some sick joke? Because it wasn't funny.

"Look, Annika, we both know I'm not going to be able to pull any information from you until you are willing to give it," Kate looked to Mrs. Greenway. "Mrs. Greenway, if you would follow me I can show you out." Mrs. Greenway nodded.

Beckett walked out the door with the two behind her. "Detective?" Mrs. Greenway placed a hand on Beckett's arm, causing her to pause and turn to face the other woman.

"If it's any consolation, she hasn't spoken a word voluntarily since she arrived last night. She has been through so much in just a day. She may just be shy or she may just need some time to adjust to her new circumstances." Said Mrs. Greenway

"I understand, Mrs. Greenway. I don't mean to come across tough on her, although, if I am going to help her she needs to tell me what she knows. And I am sure she knows something. She knew her parents were dead before social services told her," Beckett justified herself. "But I can't help her unless she lets me."

Ms. Greenway nodded in understanding, "I'll see if we can't get her to relax a little in the next couple of days. And if she tells me anything, I'll let you know right away."

It was Beckett's turn to nod in silence now. She watched as the little girl and Mrs. Greenway walked away, her eyes fixated on Annika.

* * *

"_Kate?" __She__ was still tired and had just finished the paper work the nurse had given her. She looked up at her friend Eve. _

"_I just wanted to let you know she is healthy. She is in NICU and will be there for about a week, but she should grow up a healthy happy little girl. I also set up a private adoption. I will take care of everything, don't worry." Eve said with a smile on her face. Kate only nodded. _

* * *

Ryan, Espo and Castle couldn't help but notice Beckett staring after Annika and Ms. Greenway as they walked away.

Castle let out a sigh, and Espo glanced at him and smiled sadly.

Beckett walked up to them, "What's going on?"

"How did it go?" Espo asked not leaving any chance for uncomfortable silence to linger over the group this time.

"She didn't say anything, but she's nervous. I asked if she thought she was safe and she kept silent, but she looked afraid," Beckett said, and no one said anything. "Aren't you two supposed to be on your way to question Sylvia Grissom?" Beckett looked back and forth from Ryan to Espo.

"Yeah, we were just heading out now." Ryan eyed his partner.

"See you guys later," Espo said as Ryan stood grabbing his coat off of his chair and walked off with Espo toward the elevators.

Castle let out a breath and looked at Beckett. She could feel his eyes on her, and she turned to look at him. "I'm fine, Castle."

Castle nodded in agreement with her, although they both knew that she wasn't fine.

Beckett started to walk over to her desk, but stopped short when she heard his voice, "Hey, Beckett?"

"Hhmm?" she turned to face him, her eyes asking a million questions and begging him for all of the answers at the same time. They overwhelmed him.

"It was nothing. Nevermind," he smiled.

She smiled a soft, coy smile back, "Castle, it's never nothing with you."

He watched as she turned on her heel and walked back to her desk. He released a breath of air and shook his head at her as she walked away.

* * *

"NYPD." Espo held up his badge to a hospital staff member. "We're here to speak with a Ms. Sylvia Grissom, and I need to know what room she is in."

The young woman named Jennifer nodded and started to look her up on the computer, "I'm sorry, Detective, but Ms. Grissom passed away this morning." Ryan looked at Espo.

"Did she have any visitors last night or this morning?" Ryan asked.

"Let me look. Just her son, Michael Grissom," Jennifer said.

"I'm going to need you to print me out a list of every visitor Ms. Grissom has had from the beginning of September," Espo said, and Jennifer nodded hurrying to comply.

* * *

Beckett suddenly put down a file and looked to the side of her desk at Castle, "What if she isn't okay? She will be fine, right?"

Castle smiled sadly at her, "I know you, and you are doing everything you can to make sure she is okay. You won't give up on her. You never give up on a victim and their family members." It went without saying that this case was so much more to her than just a set of victim and family members. She never gave up period, but there was an intensity about her when a case was personal; she drove herself so hard that she pushed past any of her physical or emotional limits.

"I had to lie," Kate started suddenly, and Castle cocked his head intent on listening. "I had to lie to Montgomery when I was in Russia. I worked the case as long as I physically could. Then, I went to my friend Eve's house, who is a doctor." Kate smiled and laughed lightly, "My records say that I had the shingles." Kate shook her head.

"Castle," Kate locked eyes with him, "she reminds me of me. How I was after my mother's murder. God, Castle, what am I going to do? What am I _supposed_ to do?" her eyes pleading with him for answers.

"What you always do. Solve this case and find justice for the Baskovs," Castle's eyes remained locked on hers in a moment of their own. The detectives and hustle and bustle of the pit died away becoming a blur in the background as they carried on the conversation with their eyes.

The ringing of her cell drew her back to reality. "Beckett."

"Hey, guess who is conveniently unavailable for questioning?" Espo asked.

"Sylvia Grissom." Beckett stated.

"Bingo. Died this morning of heart failure just a few hours after her son Michael Grissom came to visit her," Espo said.

"I'll check out Michael Grissom. See you guys soon," Beckett said.

"Sounds good, see you guys soon," Espo pocketed his cell and glanced at Ryan, "Beckett's checking on Grissom now," Espo said, and Ryan nodded as he waited on Ms. Grissom's visitor records.

"Michael Grissom's visits became more frequent toward the end of his mother's life. Castle, according to his credit card statements, he traveled to Manhattan nearly five times a month. The guy lives in Wisconsin." Beckett looked at Castle perplexed as she poured over the victim's son's financials.

"Maybe he really loved his mother." Castle said and Beckett shot him a look, "Okay, okay." Castle held his hands up, "What I really want to know is why kill his mother or the Baskovs if he wants the Baskovs' money? He isn't a beneficiary," Castle said.

"No, he isn't, but I bet I know who _Ms. Grissom's _beneficiary is. As Ms. Grissom's only child, I'm betting that Michael Grissom was set to inherit his mother's entire estate." Beckett smiled satisfied for the first time all day. Once Sylvia inherited her portion of the Baskovs' money, Michael hadn't planned on keeping her around for long, or so it appeared.

"If that is true, why not kill Annika?" Castle mused.

"Even I don't have all the answers, Castle," Beckett said as she looked through the case file, "I spoke with her, and I know someone told her something. Whether it was to keep quiet or something else, I don't know. I just know that someone spoke with her. I think she wants to share but holds herself back. She knows that she knows too much," Beckett said, and Castle nodded.

* * *

Annika lay in bed recalling the day's events. She liked the lady police officer that questioned her, but she was also scared of the questions that she asked. Detective Beckett acted as if she knew her, but she didn't. She also didn't know how badly she didn't want to answer her questions, but at the same time she wanted to tell her everything.

* * *

Castle had gone home tired and frustrated that the case was not moving any faster. Annika was scared silent, Sylvia Grissom was dead, the guys and Beckett seemed to think that her murder was premeditated and likely done by Michael Grissom.

Castle's imagination started run wild, his writer's brain spinning a tale of greed and intrigue that delicately wove into the heart-wrenching story of loss and pain that he'd begun imagining ever since he found out about his partner's long-held secret.

What if Michael did not intend for his mother to die until after she inherited the money? He could have been giving her something to make her heart deteriorate over time and the process had been sped up in the past couple of months. He could have accidently killed his mother too soon. The money was not yet in her hands. This now left Annika as the only living beneficiary. The thing Castle didn't understand was why not kill Annika, too? Maybe it would look too suspicious. Maybe half of the Baskov fortune was enough for him.

He sighed and sat down on his bed releasing a deep breath. He wondered how Kate's meeting went this evening. He knew it was none of his business, but he wanted to know who she was meeting with. It was his Kate-wait, no. He meant it was Kate after all. Not his Kate. Though, deep down she was and she always would be. Regardless of what she was or was not he worried about her, and after the past forty-eight hours his Kate worry-o-meter was maxed out. He knew she was stressed and emotionally on edge with this case. A stressed and emotional woman was never a good thing, especially a stressed and emotional Kate Beckett. He looked at his cell willing her face to appear with her name on it as she called him and let him know how the meeting went this evening. But the smooth face of the phone remained black, the room silent.

* * *

Kate sat on her couch swirling the red wine around as she stared at her phone sitting next to her. She wanted to call Castle, but she was fine. The man she met with today had nothing for her and could do nothing for her. In retrospect, he didn't seem like such a great person to contact after all. She brought her hand up and quickly brushed a hot tear away. She finally picked up her cell after finishing her glass of Merlot.

* * *

Castle heard his cell and smiled when he saw who it was. "Hey," Castle said, and Beckett could hear his smile on her end of the phone.

"Hey, Castle." Beckett smiled weakly, "Did I wake you?"

He sat up in his bed it was only 10:32, but damn he was drained. "No, I'm writing. How did everything go this evening?" Castle hoped he sounded convincing. Honestly, there was no way in hell he could write tonight, not with the tangled web of his partners past weaving its way through his mind every second of every hour.

"Could have been better. Meet me at Starbucks on tenth in five?" Beckett asked surprising herself.

"Yeah, yeah, of course," Castle jumped out of bed and pulled his clothes back on from earlier that evening, "I'll be right there."

His eyes found her immediately sitting on one of the larger cushioned chairs in the corner of the coffee shop. He walked over and sat down in the matching chair across from her. "I got you your usual." Kate handed him a coffee.

"Thank you." Castle focused on her intently.

"No problem." Kate said as she took a sip from her own coffee. "Castle?"

"Yes?" He looked at her in anticipation for her next words.

"You thought I was with Annika's father tonight, didn't you?" Kate put a voice to her thoughts, surprising Castle with her candor.

"I-uh, well, yeah." Castle admitted, and Kate nodded in acknowledgment, exhaling slowly as she stared at her coffee. The lyrics to "Slow Dancing In A Burning Room" floated through the coffee shop as Castle awaited an answer to his unspoken question.

**I'm so mean! Btw I will be delving deeper into Rick and Kate moments and character building in the following chapters ;) Reviews equal love - Review me for a Christmas present? :)  
**


	5. If Only

"_You __thought I was with Annika's father tonight, didn't you?"_ _her words echoed in his mind._

Kate looked up into his eyes; her eyes were soft and tender as they locked onto his. "I wasn't."

Castle remained quiet as he let her continue.

Kate looked down at her coffee again and slowly let out a breath, "Annika's father never knew he was a father." Kate still didn't look up at him, "he was a good man. I had never met anyone like him. I was young and in love. When I found out I was pregnant I knew I couldn't raise the child and join homicide. The timing was wrong. So, when I heard of Russia I jumped at the chance," Kate looked back into his eyes as he stared right back into her own. "Time wasn't on my side." She smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry. Time is a strange thing. It seems endless, yet short lived all at once," Castle's words were soft and full of empathy for his partner.

"MMhmm," Kate agreed lost in thought, "don't be sorry, you didn't do anything Castle."

Castle started to open his mouth, but exhaled and closed it instead. Kate's eyes were locked onto his, "Strange how everything came full circle again, huh?" Kate smiled sadly and shrugged her shoulders.

"Life's strange." Castle stated lifting his coffee to his lips to take a sip.

"It's just-"Kate looked away and then back into his eyes, "- just because she isn't mine doesn't mean I don't worry about her. I never stopped Castle," Kate brushed at her burning eyes, "never." Castle frowned and Beckett smiled a sad smile back into his eyes.

"Who knows about her?" Castle's tone was full of concern for his partner.

"The boys, you, my friend Eve, and my partner in Russia, Melissa Metcalfe," Kate picked her coffee up took a sip and set it down, "Metcalfe never got to come home."

Castle cocked his head in question.

"She was killed in Russia on the job. She got too close and was shot. Eve told me after I had Annika, I obviously didn't have shingles and it had been a week since I had her. I felt horrible, I felt if only I could have been there for her maybe then she would have lived." Kate smiled sadly and brought the coffee cup to her lips again.

"Kate, there is no way to know that you could prevent Metcalfe's death," Castle reassured Beckett.

"I know Castle, but I can't help the way I feel," Kate drew in a shaky breath as she locked eyes with Castle.

Outside of the coffee shop a storm moaned over the city. February in NY wasn't exactly gorgeous, and now small flurries were falling onto the concrete jungle. The snow fell dry, coating the earth with a cold dampness. It wasn't a crisp clean snowfall, but slushy and full of sleet. The storm outside the coffee shop fit the mood on the inside of the coffee shop.

"Let me help you," Castle offered gently, surprising his self with the question. Kate only stared at him, choosing to ignore his offer.

"You know Castle its funny, how you can miss something you never had," Kate hesitated to change the subject, but decided against it and continued to speak of Annika. Talking to Castle was cathartic and long overdue. "Before I left for Russia everyone went out for drinks. No one knew of my predicament and I pretended to sip on beer throughout the night." Kate smiled in thought, "I was in Russia for my birthday and so naturally before I left everyone was joking around and telling me going to Russia was my birthday present. Telling me how lucky I was." Kate drew in a breath, met Castle's eyes and released it slowly, "Annika was born a month early on September 17 2003. My birthday is November 17 and it was the worst birthday of my life."

Kate's eyes met Castle's as they held a silent conversation.

"My dad doesn't even know about her. She is beautiful, isn't she?" Kate searched Castle's eyes as they looked into hers.

Castle exhaled looking deeper into Kate's eyes, "Yeah, she really is Kate."

Castle's head hurt from thinking of the many scenarios Kate had to go through. Giving a child up for adoption was major and Beckett had not only given her child up, but never even seen her until a few days ago. She looked like a mini-Beckett thought Castle.

"Someone spooked her into silence," Beckett said as she took a sip of her coffee, "I just wish I knew who or what?"

"Is she safe?" Castle asked and Beckett exhaled slowly.

"I hope she is. I have no reason to believe she isn't. The Greenways seem to be nice people and I have no reason to put her into protective custody unless I suspect otherwise." Kate smiled, but her eyes reflected back all she couldn't voice.

"Why do you think she is so scared?" Castle wondered.

Beckett ran her hand through her hair exhaling, "That's what we have to figure out."

"Do you think Michael Grissom said something to her? Is he still even in New York?" Castle tossed some ideas around in his overactive mind. He didn't like any of them. "Beckett are you sure the Greenways are safe? What if hypothetically speaking Michael Grissom was poisoning his mother, but he killed her too soon. Annika is the only living beneficiary left and Sylvia Grissom would have died a poor woman, because she would not have inherited the Baskovs money. Wouldn't Michael still be after the money? Hypothetically speaking of course, what does he have to lose if he kills Annika? He is the only person left once she is out of the way."

Beckett shook her head, "He hasn't left town. I have to bring him in for questioning tomorrow."

"What if tomorrow is too late?" Castle wondered of the Greenway residence and Beckett's eyes got a bit wide with the realization, "The killer left a message. Say hi to the kid in Russian."

"So?" Beckett prodded.

"So, if he can write it…"

"He can read and speak it," Kate finished, "Annika, knows who killed her parents."

"Yes, but why won't she tell you?" Castle asked.

Kate looked at him incredulously, "She is scared shitless, Castle."

"I don't think Michael Grissom had anything to do with this," Castle mused.

"What are you basing that off of Castle?" Beckett wondered.

"Good coffee with the best homicide detective in New York." Castle smiled, but Beckett frowned not in the mood for his playful theories.

"Castle, what if the message wasn't meant for Annika? What if 'the kid' was a nickname?" Beckett leaned back in her chair, smiled sadly in thought and looked away from Castle as she let a tear fall down her face.

"How do you figure?" Castle asked surprised at the display of emotion her revelation had brought forth.

"Because that is what Michael Royce used to call me," Beckett smiled sadly confusing Castle.

"How is Royce relevant to the case? The Baskovs were murdered after Royce passed away." Beckett locked eyes with him and held his gaze as his eyes crashed over her. It was then Castle understood Kate didn't mean Royce had a connection with anyone deceased on the case, but with their victim's only living family member; Annika. "Oh." Castle said and Beckett only smiled a sad guilty smile.

"I'm not saying he is the killer. Like you said, Royce was murdered before the Baskovs were, I just...," Kate exhaled and looked away, "...It's just the message made everything that is going on right now that much more real." Kate looked back into Castle's eyes, "I don't want to let myself believe any of this is real. Castle, I'm scared if I fall asleep I'm just going to wake from a nightmare I've suddenly found myself all too familiar with. I'm in my own waking dream. At the precinct I stood and watched her walk away and all I could hear was a little voice in the back of my head saying, _how many times can are you going to let her go Kate?_ When I interrogated her, God, Castle it was like looking into my own eyes."

"Hey, none of this is your fault," Castle's voice was a stern whisper.

"Castle, I know it's not my fault Annika's parents are dead. Though, it is my job to find out who killed her parents. Which is why, I'm questioning Kyle and Jocelyn Scott, along with their daughter Layla and Michael Grissom tomorrow." Beckett said.

"You think the Scott's did this? Why?" He asked incredulously, "They were home all night with the girls; Mrs. Scott said it was Anya who showed up with Annika at their house in a hurry."

"_Were_ they home all night?" Beckett questioned. "I have to look at everything and everyone objectively Castle."

"_You_ have to get some _rest_ Kate." Castle said his hand on hers she looked down at their now joined hands and squeezed. She thought back to a plane ride back from L.A and a letter that Royce had written to her. He said it was clear she and Castle had something real and she was fighting it. But putting the job ahead of her heart was a mistake. That risking our hearts is why we're alive. The last thing she wanted was to look back on her life and wonder.

She smiled and put her other hand on top of his, "If only I could," her thumb rubbed the back of his hand as she smiled shyly. "Come on, let's go home Castle. It's late and I have to question a lot of people tomorrow." Beckett said and Castle stood. "Oh and Castle?" she asked still sitting. He gave her a questioning look.

She looked up at him still sitting, "No one needs to know about the other Michael in this case, not yet. Not the boys, no one."

"What Michael?" Castle asked as if he had no idea who she was speaking of.

Kate stood and smiled, "Thank You."

"Always."

Each person held their respective coffee's to go as they walked side by side down the sidewalk and snow flurries continued to fall. Kate smiled to herself, shifted her weight and bumped Castle's shoulder with hers purposely. Kate had heard Castle ask, _'let me help you?'_, and while she hadn't answered him per say, she had. In her own way she always had.

* * *

I'm unsure how I did here guys...lmk and I hope it was okay! Hope everyone had a great new year!


	6. Late Night Musings

I apologize for being gone so long, but my own case files were insane this week. I swear I was so so so ready for 'F*ck this sh*t O'clock' both last week and this week! Anyway, I said - you have to finish this for these people or they are going to think you gave up on them! So, I sat down and forced myself to write into the late hours of the early morning tonight. Knowing I have to go to a huge party tomorrow! So, please leave me a review and let me know if it's crap or still worth continuing. I hope you enjoy! Here you go...

Ch.6

Late Night Musings

As Castle and Kate walked down the sidewalk Beckett's cell rang. She looked down and swallowed any fears she had about Annika's well being, "What's up Espo?"

"Guess who just walked in the precinct?" Espo glanced at the subject of his conversation through the two way glass mirror.

"Whom?" Beckett stopped walking and Castle listened as best he could to the one sided conversation.

"Michael Grissom." Espo stated flatly.

"What? Why? Never mind, we will be right there." Kate rattled off as she wondered what Espo was doing at the precinct in the first place.

Espo pocketed his cell and noted that Beckett had said _we_ not _I_ when she said she was coming down to the station. He smiled for a second, because he knew there was only one person Beckett would be with at this hour. He also knew Castle wouldn't let Kate go through this alone. No. Come to think of it, what was amazing was the fact that Kate would let him help her. Espo was a tough guy with guarded walls, but so was Beckett. So, Espo knew how good it felt to be able to let the drawbridge down for another to come inside. He was happy Beckett had found that in Castle even if they didn't admit to it.

While, snow flurries continued to fall onto the sidewalk outside of Starbucks. Beckett hung up her cell and turned to Castle. He cocked his head in anticipation for an answer as to what was going on. "That was Esposito," Beckett drew in a breath and let out a visible breath against the cool air, "Michael Grissom just walked into the precinct and I'm going down to question him. I know it's late and you have to get home Castle. I'm fine. See you tomorrow." Beckett's words were rushed.

Castle looked into pained, fragile, strong eyes and took her hand lightly in his, "No. No, you won't." Beckett's face momentarily fell as a million questions clouded her eyes, "I don't need to be home right now, because my mother is with Alexis and they are both sleeping. On the contrary Detective I was thinking I would join you tonight?" Castle smiled forgetting her hand was still in his, "Join you at the precinct that is." Castle added quickly.

Beckett hadn't forgotten her hand was in his, "Castle." Her voice was heavy with emotion and meek all at once. She looked at his hand and back into his eyes. He immediately let her hand go.

A few seconds that felt like minutes passed before Kate found her voice, "Do I really have a choice? You always do what you want anyway." Beckett smiled lightly with good humor as she turned on her heel and started to walk down the sidewalk again, glad that he was coming along.

"So, that's a yes?" Castle stood still lost in their unspoken moment as he watched her walk off. He hoped it meant yes.

"Are you coming or not Castle?" Beckett called back to him.

"What? Huh? Yeah," Castle trotted after her, "Good thing we got coffee to go." Castle smiled and held his coffee up as he reached her side. She smiled to herself as she slyly admired her plucky sidekick also known as her partner out of the corner of her eye. A 'partner' who was someone that meant so much more to her than she could ever admit to herself.

* * *

Beckett and Castle walked into the precinct and up to Esposito around 11:40 that night. Beckett eyed Espo, "What are you doing here?"

Espo glanced at Castle and then back into Beckett's eyes, "I told Karpowski to call me if anything came up on this case while she was on."

Beckett folded her arms as she eyed Espo accusingly, "Why would you do that Javi?"

"I told her the case was personal." Esposito admitted.

Beckett was fuming, "Javi!" she strained his name out in an angry whisper, "Why? This isn't…it is not up to you to-"

"Come on Beckett, you know Karpowski is the keep to herself type cop. She doesn't ask questions." Esposito tried to reason with Beckett.

Beckett ran her hand through her hair and looked back to Espo, "Is Ryan in on this too? You better tell me the truth Javi."

"No, he doesn't know. I'm the only one here tonight and the only one knows. I wouldn't have anyone wake him at home with Jenny." Espo explained and Beckett nodded.

"Where is Grissom?" Beckett needed to change the subject.

"He's in the interrogation room. Karpowski said Narcotics picked him up on the lower East side of Manhattan along with a lot of blow." Espo exchanged a glance with Castle as Beckett nodded in understanding and walked toward the interrogation room.

* * *

Beckett suddenly found herself face to face with Michael Grissom. Could this man have murdered her daughter's parents? She shook the thought as she purposely drew in a breath and released it.

Castle and Esposito watched from the other side of the glass in awkward silence. It was Castle who broke the silence, "She is appreciative, you know." Castle spoke of Espo telling Karpowski to call him if something came up on the case even if it wasn't his place. Beckett was mad at him for treating the case as personal.

Espo turned and looked at Castle, "I know, Bro. I was just watching out for my family. She would have done the same for me."

Castle nodded as he turned his attention back to Beckett and Michael Grissom. The reality of the late night was sinking in as he took another sip of his coffee. He wasn't going to make it home until the late hours of the morning. Though, as Espo said, she would do the same for him and there was no way he was leaving her here alone.

After silence that seemed to last an eternity Beckett put a voice to her thoughts, "Michael Grissom I'm Detective Beckett. Where were you Sunday night between the hours of 8:00 pm and 2:00 am?" Beckett asked speaking of the time frame in which the Baskovs were murdered.

"What is this about?" Michael asked tired and frustrated. He had just been arrested and charged with cocaine possession along with participating in many other illegal drug activities.

"Ivan and Anya Baskovs murder." Beckett deadpanned.

"Who the hell are Ivan and Anya Baskov?" Michael demanded.

"Don't try me Mr. Grissom, now where were you Sunday between-"Suddenly Beckett was cut off.

"-Between 8:00 pm Sunday and 2:00 am Monday? I was at the hospital with my sick mother Sylvia Grissom. Staff can verify that I was there. I'm not your killer detective Beckett." Michael leaned back in his chair and crossed his hands behind his head.

Beckett sighed and walked out of the interrogation room. She walked over to her desk and rubbed at her forehead. She looked up at Castle who now stood in front of her, "Espo is checking with hospital staff right now."

Beckett nodded, "The cocaine explains his frequent flyer miles between Wisconsin and Manhattan. It doesn't explain why his mother died the morning he visited her."

Castle looked at the cheap plastic clock that hung on the wall in the precinct. It was going on 12:45. He sighed knowing Beckett wouldn't stop tonight. He was glad that Esposito had done Beckett a favor by asking Karpowski to call him if anything came up on the case, but at the same time he wished Espo would have waited until morning to call her. Castle knew Kate was drained and needed rest. She still had to question the Scott's tomorrow. She wasn't a robot. She needed to recharge her batteries, but tell her that.

Soon Espo walked up to them, "Yo. Hospital staff said he was there. They have video to prove it. Sorry, Beckett but the guy alibied out. He was in fact visiting his mother."

Beckett inhaled and brought her hand to her lips in thought, "Yes, but doing what when he visited her? Do we have autopsy results on her? Have Lanie double check her."

Espo and Castle shared a glance realizing Beckett hadn't even thought of the time. Castle's voice was gentle, "Beckett it's going on 1:00, Lanie isn't available. It will have to wait until tomorrow."

"Go home and get some rest tonight. Besides you know Gates wouldn't be pleased to find out you brought this guy up from Narco at 11:30." Espo suggested.

Beckett looked at him, "It's my case Espo."

"But the bust wasn't. Go home Beckett. I'll make sure Grissom gets back to Narcotics." Espo said.

"Fine, but I'm getting Lanie to double check Sylvia Grissom's autopsy in the morning. The Scott's are coming in for questioning as well." Beckett walked off grabbing her coat off of the back of her chair before she had to hear anything else from Esposito.

Espo looked at Castle and frowned as the two men shared an understanding. The case was understandably getting to her, and the guys weren't used to seeing her so emotional. Esposito thought of her as a sister and Castle, well, he thought of her as more than a partner. She was his Kate, the woman who he shared not only a world unknown with, but an alienated language only understood by the two of them.

He hurried after her toward the elevator, but smiled slightly noticing that she waited for him before she pressed the elevator button. They both stepped inside in silence. Kate spoke first, "I'm sorry you are getting home so late Castle."

"Why? Kate, if I wanted to go home I would have." Castle looked at her and she looked back up at him.

"Thank you." She smiled ever so slightly.

"Anytime." Castle returned the same small smile

Soon the elevator opened and the two walked outside. The snow fell lightly on the two as they walked to their respective vehicles. Beckett stopped short before they parted, "Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow." Castle stood still watching her walk off wondering just exactly what tomorrow was going to bring. As he drove home he thought about the character he had written in a series of books based on this woman. He knew he would never come close to doing Beckett justice. While Nikki Heat was a complex nuance character, she would never compare to Kate Beckett.

* * *

Castle quietly opened the door to his loft and made his way to his bedroom trying and succeeding in not waking his mother or Alexis. As he lay in his large bed he found his partner on his mind, filling its capacity with all he had learned about her in the past week to the point of giving him a headache. He thought of how Royce's death affected her and of the phone call she received from him at the precinct. Esposito, Ryan and he were all stunned at her little Broadway show.

_He remembered the one sided conversation well. "Royce turn yourself in…" Beckett half pleaded, but more demanded.  
_

"_Did you kill Carver for the map?" Beckett prodded and Royce answered her, but Castle couldn't tell what he said.  
_

"_I don't think I do, because the man that I knew wouldn't betray me like this." Kate gripped the phone tighter and spoke sternly._

"_Mike I was in love with you. You were the only one who understood the obsession that drove me, who didn't tell me I would get over my mother's murder and that she wouldn't want me to do this. I dreamt about you the night I shot the guy who killed my mother. I dreamt about you, I dreamt that I was the one that was on the ground dying and you came up and told me to stand up, because there was still work to be done. When I woke up that morning I just wanted to call you, but we hadn't talked in so long."_

Beckett had said it was all an act for the trace. Now Castle knew better.

The dream she said she had about him when she shot her mother's killer was most likely real. She had lied, and behind her little Broadway show, she really had loved Royce. Castle exhaled and rolled over in bed. She had been through so much with her mother's death and now to learn she had given up a child as well. He rubbed at his face as he laid his head on his pillow, wishing he could do more for her and wondering if she would ever let him. It saddened him to know she was most likely curled up alone in her large bed with such haunting memories and an undoubtedly heavy heart as her only company.

* * *

Beckett lay in her large lonely bed thinking of the past week. She wished tomorrow was here already. She really wanted Lanie to do an autopsy on Sylvia Grissom. She rolled over onto her back and stared at the ceiling, she was still a bit pissed at Espo for telling Karpowski to call him if anything came up on the case. There were still so many unanswered questions.

She drew in a breath, purposely exhaling as she, for the first time in the case allowed herself to think of Royce and yesterdays. They weren't a one night fling, but had stayed together until Kate decided she wanted to join homicide and Royce had to stay behind as a Training Officer. No one ever found out about their little liaison that broke more rules than were allowed. Kate rolled over onto her side; she remembered when she saw him lying on the ground at a murder scene. She was proud at how well she kept her composure; then again she rarely lost it.

Then there was L.A investigating Royce's murder with Castle. She had broken rules and regulation once more as she investigated a case out of her jurisdiction. Castle as her only backup, she chuckled not realizing the tears that had made their way down her face, until she felt the salty water on her lips. Castle had helped her emotional state in L.A and looking back she wasn't sure if she would have been able to not only stay as composed as she had, but solved the case without his help. But she would never tell him that. She wiped at her tear stained face, drew in a breath and let out a shaky one at the letter Royce had written to her. She sat up and opened the drawer of her night stand taking the letter out. She had read it on the plane ride back to New York while Castle slept beside her and as she reread it again tonight as she drew in a breath at Royce's words.

_And now for the hard part kid. It's clear that you and Castle have something real, and you're fighting it. But trust me putting the job ahead of your heart is a mistake. Risking our hearts is why we're alive. The last thing you want is to look back on your life and wonder. If only._

She exhaled as she put the letter back in her night stands top drawer, and knew Royce was right. Though, letting herself be so open terrified her. She wished she could allow herself the luxury of dropping her guard and letting someone inside, she really did. Though, she was scared, besides, she rationalized she had too much going on right now to even entertain the possibility of letting anyone inside her carefully constructed iron walls.

She wouldn't deny she knew there was only one man that would be able to break through her iron walls. Walls she knew were transparent to him. If only she could let herself stop fighting what she knew to be real, but it was extremely risky. He was her best friend and nothing more, besides now was not the time to think of emotional matters. Her mother warned her there would be days like this, oh how she wished she could tell her how right she was. Wished she could ask her what to do. Instead, she rolled over on her side and hoped sleep would take her soon.

* * *

Annika lay asleep in a room she shared with another one of the Greenway's children. The little girl named Leah was seven, and talkative. Annika was anything but talkative and had perfected the art of half listening to the cheeky little one. In all honesty she would rather be left alone than have Leah following her around.

Suddenly she woke from a nightmare or should it be considered a memory? She slowly pulled the covers up to her chin and stare at the ceiling her eyes large as memories flooded her mind as she remembered.

She heard his voice as he knelt in front of her, _"Annika, I know you are a smart girl, aren't you?" the man asked and she nodded yes._

"_I know you know how to keep a secret, right?" he questioned._

_Another nod._

"_Annika, if you tell anyone about this little talk we had tonight. Don't think just because you are a kid the same thing that will inevitably happen to your mommy and daddy can't happen to you too. Do you understand what I'm saying Annika? Do you understand how important it is to keep a secret?" The man asked and Annika wondered of her mother and father. _

_Annika may have been ten, but she wasn't stupid. Bad things were soon to happen to them, very bad things. She watched as the man slipped out of the front door and turned and went back to sleep. Her mind and heart racing of all of the possibilities the next few days would bring. _

Now she brought the comforter up a little higher so only her eyes peeked out from under it as she stared at the ceiling. Her mind wondered of the lady detective at the police station, the male detective that escorted them out when the lady detective had been called away. She kind of wondered why she was called away, but dismissed the thought as soon as it entered her mind. She wondered more about her case worker Lilian Martin and how long she was going to have to stay with the Greenway's.

Yes, school was out and didn't conflict with the case, but school being out meant time on her hands. She didn't like it when she had too much time on her hands. Annika liked to stay busy and while this case had interrupted her life drastically. She vowed not to let it totally engulf her and take her down with it. She needed to stay strong, and stand tall. She knew no one else was going to be there to hold her up if she fell. She didn't intend on falling into the abyss of her parent's murder. She was young, but as the man who helped or did in fact murder her parents had said, "_She wasn't stupid." _ She knew that, knew she could make a difference. She didn't want to die like her parents had, but she did want to contribute to the detectives case. She just wasn't sure how to go about it yet without revealing the secret she promised to keep.

She stared at the ceiling wondering what tomorrow would bring for her as she drew in a deep breath, held it, and then released it into the pitch black dark.

* * *

So, looks like Lanie is going to make an appearance soon. Sweet Espo telling Karpowski to call him - hey the man watches out for his bro, what makes you think he won't watch out for his sis. Poor Annika waking up from her hellish nightmare/memory of the man telling her to keep quiet. Kate, Castle, and Annika all have such heavy hearts tonight :( Review_...ideas will be taken into consideration ;)_


	7. The Truth

Ch. 7

The Truth

The inevitable morning had arrived and Ryan walked up to Esposito, "I just got off the phone with Jocelyn Scott."

"And?" Espo queried, "Is she coming in or what?"

"Yes and so is her daughter Layla Scott." Ryan confirmed.

"What about her husband Kyle Scott?" Espo wondered.

"I'm still trying to get a hold of him." Said Ryan.

"Didn't you ask Mrs. Scott about her husband's whereabouts?" Esposito asked.

"Obviously." Ryan crossed his arms.

"And?" Espo asked frustrated.

"She didn't know where he was." Ryan countered.

Espo folded his arms and gave his partner a disapproving look, "Seriously, Bro? You believed her?"

"No, that's why she is coming in for questioning. Besides, have you even called Grissom yet?" Ryan asked in a sing song accusing tone.

"Jocelyn is coming in for questioning because she was one of the last people to see Anya Baskov alive," Espo reminded Ryan, "And no, I haven't called Michael Grissom. The guy alibied out." Espo informed Ryan.

Ryan quirked his head, "What do you mean he alibied out? When?" Espo hadn't told him he had practically been at the precinct all night with Michael Grissom.

"Last night. Karpowski said Narco picked him up on the lower East Side of Manhattan." Esposito admitted.

Ryan looked a bit lost, "What? Why…how did Narco know he was even a suspect in our case?"

Esposito was quiet.

"You told Karpowski to call you if anything came up on our case didn't you?" Ryan asked, not upset that he did, but a bit disheartened that Javi hadn't included him in on what he had done for Beckett until he couldn't hide it any longer. She was like his sister too and he felt he had a right to know.

"It was late and you were home with Jenny. I didn't want to wake you. Just…just don't tell Beckett I let you know what I did. She is pissed off at me enough as it is. Bro, come on... I was going to tell you." Espo said and Ryan nodded.

"So, Beckett was here last night too?" Ryan asked.

"She questioned him," Esposito admitted, "Look I called her because I felt she had a right to know. Bro, you were asleep at_ home _with your _wife_. It's okay to sit one out."

Ryan nodded, "Castle?"

"Came in with Beckett." Esposito explained.

Ryan looked toward Beckett's desk with a distant look in his eye, "You remember how pissed she was when he first joined the team?"

Esposito's gaze followed Ryan's to Beckett's desk. Castle had just walked up to her desk with a refill of coffee from the break room for her. She smiled slightly as she took the cup of coffee from him.

Esposito let a small smile grace his lips as he chuckled, "She hated him."

Ryan exhaled, "He turned out okay, huh?"

Espo held out his fist to Ryan who bumped it, "Obviously, I mean, bro- we're the best role models ever. Just look at us."

* * *

Castle handed Beckett a fresh cup of coffee and sat down in the chair next to her desk. Beckett looked tired to him and he knew she most likely only had a few hours of sleep. This case was going to drive her into the ground. Castle knew when cases were personal that she would push herself past any and all physical and emotional barriers until she broke. He didn't want her to go through that, she had gone through so much already. Though, he knew he had no control over Kate. How she handled her life was up to her.

Beckett was deep in thought as she looked through the Baskovs case file. She was rereading every last documentation on everyone involved thus far when she suddenly paused, her irises flicked to Castle meeting his eye, "What?"

"What, what?" Castle asked.

"What do you mean, what, what? Castle you were staring at me. What are you thinking about?"

"What were you thinking?" Castle turned her question back on her and she glared at him.

"I was thinking that Mrs. Scott and her daughter Layla should be here in about fifteen minutes and that the conference room better be set up." Beckett set her pen down and turned her head to look at Castle, "What about you Castle?"

"Nothing," Castle smiled.

"You expect me to believe that Castle?" Beckett flipped to the next page in the Baskovs case file. Castle was quiet, he didn't intend on answering her question. So, he watched her work. Lost in thoughts that she had tried to forget, but had never forgave.

* * *

Jocelyn and Layla Scott walked into the precinct around 10:13 and Ryan spotted them first. He walked over and introduced himself, "Mrs. Scott, hi I'm Detective Ryan."

"Nice to meet you Detective Ryan," Jocelyn Scott said and Ryan looked down to Layla who was admiring him curiously, "You must be Layla Scott?"

"Yes." Layla's tone was soft and controlled.

"It's nice to meet you Layla. I'm Detective Ryan." Ryan offered his hand to the little girl who took his hand in greeting.

"It's nice to meet you too." Layla said as she shook Ryan's hand and quickly glanced around the pit. Her eyes landed on Beckett and Castle.

"Mrs. Scott if you could wait here for a few more minutes Detective Beckett will be right with you." Ryan explained.

"Is she going to be doing the questioning?" asked Mrs. Scott, but just as Ryan was about to answer the person of interest walked up next to them.

"Mrs. Scott, I'm Detective Beckett. I spoke with you and your husband at your house last week." Beckett glanced at Ryan.

"It's good to see you again detective," said Mrs. Scott.

"Mrs. Scott I have a few questions I need to ask you and Layla. I need to ask some of the questions separately. So, if you could follow detective Ryan to the interrogation room and Layla could follow me to the conference room we can start." Beckett said glancing at Ryan.

"Okay," Mrs. Scott placed a guiding hand on her daughter's back and gave her a gentle nudge of encouragement in Beckett's direction. Layla walked after Beckett and toward the conference room in which Ryan and Espo had turned into a mock interrogation room.

Beckett was in the conference room opposite Layla Scott and Ryan was in interrogation with Jocelyn Scott. Castle walked over to Esposito who was in the observation room, "Anything on Kyle Scott?" Castle wondered and Espo shook his head back and forth.

"Ryan's playing good cop with her right now, give them a little more time together and we'll see what happens." Esposito said.

Beckett didn't waste any time and as soon as the conference door shut she didn't hold back.

"Layla do you know where your dad is today?" Beckett sat back in her chair and crossed her arms, but didn't look away from the little girl with shoulder length, straight, black hair, and almond eyes.

"Is Annika okay?" Layla asked surprising Beckett with her response.

"Yes, she is okay Layla." Beckett reassured the ten year old, but couldn't help but wonder as to why she asked the question.

Lost in spiraling thoughts Layla looked distant past Beckett into nothingness.

"Layla, why wouldn't Annika be okay? Is there something you need to tell me?" Beckett asked, her heart starting to run off with her as possibilities of what may be started to fall into place. "Layla, was your dad home yesterday?"

"Yes." Layla nodded slightly as she spoke.

"Were your dad and Annika's dad friends?" Beckett asked.

"My mom and Mrs. Baskov were friends, but I didn't see Mr. Baskov a lot." Layla said.

"Why didn't you see Mr. Baskov as often?" asked Beckett.

"He was usually with my dad on business." Layla yawned, "How long are we going to be in here?"

Layla's response caught Beckett a bit off guard and she had to refocus on her previous question.

"How good of friends were your mom and Mrs. Baskov?" Beckett wondered.

"Good, I guess. She stayed over sometimes with Annika when my dad and her dad went away on trips." Layla explained surprising and delighting Beckett with her response.

"What kind of trips? Trips for work or for vacation?" Beckett asked.

"For work," Layla explained calmly, "Our dad's had to go to Canada together a lot on work trips."

Beckett filed the information away and took a shot with some more questions, "When Annika slept over your house last weekend was your dad home?" Beckett wondered.

"Yes, he was in bed with my mom, and I was asleep in my room." Layla said.

"He was there all night?" Beckett asked again.

"I told you, I was in bed all night. You should talk to Annika. She got up in the middle of the night and went downstairs to get a drink or something. She probably didn't say anything to me because she thought I was asleep, but I wasn't. I heard and saw her crawl back into bed." Layla said.

Beckett knew this meant Annika could have caught Mr. Scott sneaking out of the house in the middle of the night. If he did in fact sneak out, she would have been the only one that could have possibly been able to disprove his alibi of being in bed all night. But why, why was he sneaking out of the house in the first place? Did he murder the Baskovs and, if so, why?

Beckett drew in a breath and released it. She looked into the little girl's dark almond eyes, "Do you or your parents speak Russian?"

Layla's smile turned into a smirk, "Да, Вы детектив?" '_yes, do you detective?'_

Beckett smirked and gave Layla her answer, "Да, и я вижу, что Вы - быстрый Layla." _'yes, and I see you are fluent Layla'_

"Да." Layla said proud and a bit impressed that the detective spoke the language as well.

"Layla, have you ever been out of the country?" Beckett asked, "Were you born here?"

"I almost went to Canada once and I've been to Disneyland in California but that's it – oh, I went to Hawaii once and to Disney world in Florida." Layla explained.

"Who went with you?" Beckett asked.

"The Baskovs came to Disney world with us in Florida and to L.A too. We went to Disneyland in California too, but it was just the girls. Our dad's came, but we never saw them, because they were always doing business stuff." Layla explained.

"So, your dad's worked together?" Beckett confirmed.

"Obviously, but it's okay that they worked a lot because we are able to go to neat places and we are best friends." Layla explained.

Beckett went out on a limb, "Do you know where your dad and Mr. Baskov went when they worked in Canada?"

"No, they wouldn't say. I told you, you should ask Annika. She liked to ease drop a lot and was a lot more observant than me. I liked Disney, and she was always so concerned with what was going on." Layla explained.

"What was going on?" Beckett queried.

"I don't know, but Annika might. My dad says she has a big imagination and likes to make up stories. Though, sometimes I believed her stories. I mean, they were so real. The stuff she would say made no sense to me and I told her that it would never happen and to stop paying so much attention to other people's business." Layla shifted in her chair, "I guess she is just overly curious and a little too nosy. She can't drop things. You know what I mean?"

Beckett smiled slightly, "Yeah, I know." She knew exactly what she meant.

* * *

So, this chap and the next were originally one, but it became to long of a read. Did Annika's curiosity kill her parents? What will Mrs. Scott say? They worked together, eh? Hhmm... just what were these men up too? I hope the next chap is a nice curve ball ;)

Oh and talk about a review that made me lol

_RGoodfellow64 : I've come to the conclusion we need to lock you in a room and force you to write for about a week. This is way too good to have to wait for updates. :-) _

I will have you know the next chap will be up most likely Sunday, unless you guy prefer sooner haha...thanks so much for all of your loyal reviews everyone! This is my first multi-chap Castle fic and they help! Plus, I admit they may cause a chap to go up a bit sooner ha


	8. The Whole Truth

So, I just watched the episode "47 seconds" for the first time. Ugh, that is horrid :( I can't imagine having watched the show from the beginning knowing their history and then seeing "Always"...you guys must have flipped at the end! I'm kind of glad I discovered the show midway through the episode "Always" so I know everything is okay in the end of 47 etc. lol...anyway here you guys go...I hope it's an okay chapter. oh and thanks ewilkries, tellie32atthe6 and swanscribe and anyone else I've missed for all of the loyal reviews! I'm glad you are enjoying it! Ok long A/N...

* * *

Ch.8

The Whole Truth

Ryan was sitting on the table that separated him and Mrs. Scott, "Mrs. Scott, where was your husband between 8pm Sunday was and 2am Monday?"

"What is this about is Kyle a suspect?" asked Mrs. Scott.

"Should he be a suspect?" asked Ryan.

"No, no he was at home with me and the girls. The girls went to bed at ten and we followed shortly after." Jocelyn looked at Ryan with distress, "Anya was one of my best friend's detective. Kyle would never hurt her. Plus, he was asleep in our bed all night with me." Mrs. Scott rationalized, "I'm a light sleeper. I would have woken up if he got out of bed." Jocelyn said, "Besides, I know my husband and he would never commit such a horrific act." Mrs. Scott looked at Ryan with honest eyes, "I know my husband detective."

* * *

"Layla we are done in here if you would just follow me out I can check and see how much longer your mom is going to be." Beckett said and Layla got up and pushed in her chair following Beckett toward the chairs she and her mom had waited for detective Beckett in this morning.

"Just sit tight for a moment while I go and see how much longer your mom will be." Beckett said.

"Okay." Layla nodded and Beckett walked into the observation room joining Espo and Castle.

Espo asked what Castle was silently thinking, "So? What did you find out?"

"The Baskovs and Scott's were pretty close friends. Kyle Scott and Ivan Baskov went on family business trips together. Hawaii, L.A, and Florida. Layla said that they went to California the most. She said her dad and Mr. Baskov use to frequent Canada when they stayed in L.A. Ivan and Kyle wouldn't go to Disney with them, but were off on business together. Oh, and the Scott's speak fluent Russian. Any news on Mr. Scott's whereabouts?"

"No, but I can-" Espo started.

"Put an APB out on him. We need to talk to him and I have a feeling he knows exactly what about." Beckett said the three turned to look at Ryan and Mrs. Scott, "I'm going in there, Layla is waiting out in the pit." Beckett informed them as she marched into the interrogation room and grabbed Ryan dragging him out of it. She slammed the door behind them as Ryan stood looking at her with an expression of _'what the hell?'_ written all over his face.

"What the hell is going on? Did Layla say something?" Ryan asked.

"Mr. Scott was business partners with Mr. Baskov. The families knew each other well. Well enough that they would take family trips together. Trips to places like, California, Florida, and Hawaii. Layla said when they stayed in California that Ivan and Kyle would frequent Canada."

"What kind of business? There should be some sort of a paper trail if what Layla says is true. " Ryan pointed out.

"I don't know what kind of business. Layla said she didn't know, but to ask Annika." Beckett said and Ryan inhaled and released a drawn out breath as he glanced toward the interrogation room.

"You think she knows?" Ryan asked as he stared at Mrs. Scott.

"One way to find out," Beckett said as she turned the door to the room and walked in with Ryan.

As soon as Ryan shut the door to the interrogation room Beckett wasted no time getting to work. She slid into the chair across from Mrs. Scott, "Mrs. Scott did it conveniently slip your mind to mention to us that your husband and Mr. Baskov were business partners?" Jocelyn leaned back in her chair, looked away from Beckett's eyes, and let out a deep breath.

After a moment her gaze returned to Beckett's and she smiled sadly, "I didn't think it was relevant at first. I know my husband didn't kill Ivan. I mean he was with me all night, I would have heard him if he woke. So, I figured a business that I knew very little about and one which had no paper trail would make him look suspicious."

"So, you thought withholding information about what you _do_ know of Mr. Baskovs and your husband's business was a better route to go?" Beckett queried.

"No, yes…I don't know." Said Mrs. Scott frazzled, "I just know Kyle couldn't have done it."

"Why are you so certain? Come on Jocelyn, what are you not telling us?" Kate prodded.

"No, it's not like that. I'm being honest with you now. It's just he was in bed with me all night and when I woke he was right next to me. He was in the same clothes he went to bed in and nothing was out of place. Plus, I _know_ him and he just wouldn't commit such a horrid act." Said Mrs. Scott, "I will tell you anything you want to know. The whole story, whatever you want. Just don't let Annika end up like her parents; she is a good girl just overly curious."

Kate tamped down her racing heart to find her voice and remain calm, "Annika is fine. Now you better start at the beginning Mrs. Scott because you have been doing a pretty damn crappy job of telling us the whole story so far," Beckett demanded.

Jocelyn drew in a breath and let it out slowly, "Ivan and Kyle have known each other well before the Baskovs immigrated. He didn't think I knew this, but come on he use to frequent Moscow more than he did our bedroom. I was lonely in that big house with a newborn. You can have all the stuff in the world detective, but still be unhappy if you don't have love," Jocelyn paused a moment, "You know what I mean?" Jocelyn asked and Beckett inhaled understanding her words more than she would ever know.

"Mmm, so how did you find out your husband knew the Baskovs?" Beckett asked.

"One day I got bored and went through some of his photos on his computer. He never left it out and everything we own has a password or is locked up tight. So, when I found it open, I thought it rare that he would just leave a disc lying out. I guess everyone gets sloppy sometimes." Jocelyn shrugged.

"What was on the disc?" asked Beckett.

"I was disappointed to find the disc was only pictures of some place in Moscow," Jocelyn sighed, "Then, one day, about eight years later, he introduces me to the Baskovs, and guess who I recognized from my husband's disc?"

"Ivan Baskov." Guessed Beckett.

Jocelyn smiled, "Here was a woman just like me, with a daughter the same age as my daughter and a husband who got along spectacularly with my husband. I didn't question the friendship at first, why jinx a good thing?"

"At first?" questioned Ryan, "What changed your mind?"

"It wasn't what, more of whom," said Jocelyn.

"And?" pried Kate.

"Annika, it was Annika. She is a curious kid, and she has a bad habit of ease dropping on conversations. She wants to know what is going on all of the time. She needs to learn it is not her place to understand everything that happens. Though, her curiosity would not relent no matter how hard Anya and I tried to tell her to stop wondering or asking herself why, she wouldn't stop." Jocelyn said.

"What wouldn't she stop?"

Jocelyn drew in a breath and then let it out, "In L.A I caught her in the study looking at images on her computer, the same images I once found on a computer. Only, she had more than just images, but documents. She said that her dad and Mr. Scott were friends before and she pointed out the places in Moscow that she remembered. She was mostly interested in showing me the pictures from places she recognized in Moscow. She was only nine, but even a nine year old can read documents not meant for her. She proceeded to tell me that Kyle and Ivan owned a pharmaceutical business together and they were in Vancouver while we stayed in L.A. She said we should ask to go too, because she had never been to Vancouver."

"What did you do?" asked Beckett.

"I told her she shouldn't take things that didn't belong to her and unplugged the USB and put it back where she found it on Ivan's nightstand." Jocelyn leaned back, "The guys didn't realize how curious she had become of what they were doing. After her little discovery she told Layla of what she learned, only Layla didn't believe her. For a while everything was fine, up until about six months ago."

"What happened six months ago?" asked Kate.

"Annika started acting funny, and when Anya asked her what was wrong she told her she found something on her daddy's computer. Something that said my husband was in fact not my husband, but a man named Russell Gish." Jocelyn inhaled and Beckett tried her best to keep collected. She tamped down her emotions as she allowed Jocelyn Scott to continue, "She told Anya that Ivan and Kyle had pharmaceutical companies in Moscow and wondered why we didn't go on family trips back to Moscow too."

"What happened then?" asked Beckett.

"Anya didn't want to go to Ivan so she told Annika to keep quiet. It was none of her business. Of course she didn't and she found more documents from ten years ago in 2003. She recognized images and claimed that she saw Kyle walking away from a blonde woman lying on the ground. She said Kyle had a gun in his –" Jocelyn was cut off as Beckett stood and walked out of the room leaving Ryan and Jocelyn to stare at each other dumbfounded.

"Esposito!" Beckett yelled as she walked into the observation room and Espo and Castle's heads shot up at her followed by Ryan's hasty entrance, "Annika is in danger. She needs to be picked up by protective custody a.s.a.p. I think Kyle Scott is actually Russell Gish."

"Who is Russell Gish?" asked Esposito.

"My and Melissa Metacafe's target in the 2003 unsolved Moscow investigation. If so, he killed my partner," Beckett said and instantly Esposito was calling in an APB (all points bulletin) on Annika while Ryan was talking to protective custody, informing them they would meet them at the Greenway residence.

Kate inhaled and exhaled looking around the observation room until her eyes met Castle's and her head stopped spinning. Was this really happening or had she fallen so deep into her nightmare she couldn't tell where reality began and her nightmare ended? She kept her eyes locked to Castle's and anxiously took her bottom lip into her mouth. She was frozen to the spot in her own world, so much so that she startled when Castle reached out and took her hand in his own.

"Castle, I'm fine." Kate summoned her best resounding voice.

"No, you're not, but you will be." Castle said and Kate opened her mouth in protest and then shut it, succumbing to help that was so hard to take. In that moment, instead of pulling her hand out of his. She stood staring at their joined hands and she squeezed tight as she let out a shaky breath remembering a certain thing Jocelyn Scott said, _"You can have all the stuff in the world detective, but still be unhappy if you don't have love, you know what I mean?"_

Kate knew exactly what she meant, but was too scared to do something about it now. So until tomorrow, her hand in his was going to have to be enough to lift her up out of her nightmare. She looked from their join hands unto his eyes, and smiled shyly, "Castle?"

He was starting to slip into Kate's dream where everything was a bit hazy, "Hhmm?"

"I need to go and check on Layla." Kate said taking her hand back and bringing him back to reality.

"Right." Castle started and smiled as he watched her walk out of observation and into the pit. He didn't see the coy smile she wore as she walked out of observation toward Layla. Her racing thoughts had slowed just enough for her to realize that she wasn't lost, but starting to wake from her nightmare. They slowed enough for her to remember that even on the worst of days, there is a possibility for joy.

* * *

Lillian Martin picked up her cell cursing it on the third ring,"Lillian Martin."

"Miss Martin this is detective Esposito. I'm on my way to the Greenway residence to pick up Annika Baskov and I called to let you know the NYPD will be placing her into protective custody. From here on out she will no longer be residing with the Greenway's." Esposito said.

"Is she okay?" asked Miss Martin.

Only Espo couldn't really answer that question yet, "My partner detective Ryan and I will update you as soon as we can."

"Do the Greenway's know you are on the way? Detective? Detective Esposito?" though Esposito had ended the call and Miss Martin only spoke to a dead line.

* * *

Don't worry I haven't forgotten about Sylvia and Michael Grissom or Lanie. Also, where the hell is Kyle Scott? Is he actually Russell Gish? Why Kill Ivan Baskov if he did? And what is up with the Russian writing at the crime scene? Kate sure did freak about Annika...she should be fine. I mean, Kyle Scott is just a suspect not for sure...hope it was an okay chapter.


	9. Not Really Sure How I Feel About It

I apologize profusely for leaving you hanging so long :( Life just got crazy. I literally every weekend this month I have not been home. Sometimes on weekdays as well. Anyway, I know this chap was thrown together in a rush and mainly just to show you I'm still alive so I apologize in advance for it. Hope someone is still interested...

* * *

Not Really Sure How I Feel About It

Beckett knelt in front of Layla prepared to speak, but Layla beat her to it. "Can I see my mommy now detective Beckett?"

Much to Beckett's dismay she knew she had no right to hold Jocelyn Scott. She had plenty of questions, but that is all they were, speculative theories that Jocelyn Scott's husband Kyle Scott was actually Russell Gish; the man who killed her partner Mellisa Metacafe, while in Russia.

"Yes, Layla just wait a few more minutes while I go and get her, okay?" Beckett asked.

"Okay." Layla sighed clearly bored.

* * *

Espo pounded on the Greenway's door, "NYPD."

Mrs. Greenway opened the door, "Yes? Is everything okay?"

"Actually Mrs. Greenway we are going to need to take Annika into protective custody." Ryan said.

Mrs. Greenway gasp holding her hand up to her mouth, "Oh my God, why? Is she going to be okay?"

"I'm sorry, but that is confidential and we can't discuss that matter. I can assure you she will be staying with nice people." Espo tried to console Mrs. Greenway with his words.

"How do you know these people are nice? How do you even know she will be safe?" Mrs. Greenway was becoming nervous.

"Ma'm you are just going to have to trust us. Now can you tell us where Annika is?" asked Ryan.

"She is in her room on her bed reading a book. It's the second room on the right. I was just getting ready to take her to get enrolled in a nearby school." Mrs. Greenway sounded forlorn and her eyes suddenly looked frail.

Espo and Ryan walked toward Annika's room. The other children were not home from school yet so the house was empty except for Mrs. Greenway and Annika. Annika looked up at Ryan, Espo, and a fragile looking Mrs. Greenway standing behind the two detectives as they looked in the doorway to her room. Annika's eyes locked with Espo's and she slowly set the book she was reading down beside her. In that moment she knew something was very wrong. She had a feeling she would no longer be staying with the Greenway's.

Espo walked into her room and Annika never moved but her eyes remained glued to Espo. "Hello Annika, I'm detective Esposito. I've met you at the precinct before."

"I know. I remember you. What is your partner's name?" Annika wondered.

"I'm detective Ryan." Ryan introduced himself with a slight almost forced smile.

Annika nodded at Ryan and swung her legs off of the bed sitting up straight, "Why are you here?" curiosity definitely ran in her blood.

"Annika, the police have decided that you would be better off staying with someone other than the Greenways." Espo explained.

Ryan quickly added, "The Greenways are wonderful people, but the police have just decided it's best that you stay with someone within the police force."

Annika furrowed her brow and looked down to her right at the book she was once reading and then back into Espo's eyes, "It won't take long for me to pack." She was silent a moment in thought. Her eyes gravitated downward toward the book again and then suddenly shot back up to Esposito. "I have a question for Mrs. Greenway."

Upon hearing her name Mrs. Greenway stepped further into the room, "What is it Annika?"

"Can I take this book with me? I like it a lot." Annika's eyes were large and full of hope, but also strong and prepared to be let down.

"Yes, of course you can Annika." Mrs. Greenway smiled sadly and Annika slid off of her bed and began to pack what little she had.

* * *

"So, we are free to leave?" Mrs. Scott asked Beckett in the pit, her daughter by her side and Castle by Beckett's side.

"Yes, but you can't leave the city within the next three days," Beckett explained and Mrs. Scott nodded and turned to leave. "Mrs. Scott." Jocelyn turned around, "remember if you see your husband you are to contact one of my detectives or me immediately, as we would like to clear up any confusion of your husband being a murder suspect in this case as soon as possible." Beckett smiled.

"Yes, of course. As I stated earlier, Kyle had nothing to do with this and I'm sure he will not have a problem coming down to the precinct." Jocelyn said as she put a guiding hand on her daughter's shoulder and walked toward the elevator.

Castle and Beckett watched as Jocelyn and Layla walked out of the precinct, "Do you think she knows more?" asked Castle.

"I honestly can't tell Castle," Beckett exhaled, turned on her heel and walked toward her desk. Castle watched as the elevator closed with Jocelyn and Layla inside.

Kate drew in a deep breath closed her eyes and let it out. This case was such a mess, both personally and professionally. Annika would be coming in soon. Kate's stomach flip flopped at the thought, but settled quicker than she expected. She was becoming use to seeing the child (she wasn't ready to refer or label Annika as her daughter) she gave up ten years ago for short stints. She rubbed at her hand through her hair.

Once again Annika would be returning to her only for Kate to send her away again, this time to protective services. She knew she should call Soreson for a favor, but she only glanced at the phone momentarily, then got up and walked into the break room to pour herself a much needed cup of coffee.

Upon walking into the break room she found Castle with two cups of coffee in his hands. He smiled gently as he handed Kate one. She smiled gently in return, "Thank you."

"Anytime." Castle replied softly, as they both leaned back against the counter and sipped on their coffee taking a short quiet and much needed moment from all that had happened in the past twenty four hours.

* * *

Annika was quiet in the back seat of Ryan and Esposito's patrol vehicle. She hadn't said much of anything since they picked her up. Ryan glanced in his rearview mirror at the miniature Beckett who sat stoic staring out of the window, scenery passing her by, the low hum of tires on pavement the only noise that filled the vehicle.

* * *

Beckett had moved to her desk and Castle to his respective chair beside Beckett's desk. Beckett was running Kyle Scott and trying to prove he was in fact Russell Gish by finding an identity match. He was good at what he did, but not that good. Russell Gish had dark hair and a larger nose as well as a whole different life. According to records Russell Gish no one knew if he was alive or dead. He was simply missing and his case, while still open had never been touched, but somehow left alone and disregarded.

Kyle Scott was very much alive and a United States citizen. If one distorted Russell Gish's image just enough one could clearly see he was in fact Kyle Scott. Though, Kate needed that flash drive that Annika saw of Kyle Scott standing over Melissa's body to prove he killed her partner. She also needed evidence he was in fact the man that was importing and exporting experimental pharmaceutical drugs from Russia to the States. Kate ran her hand through her hair and exhaled.

"You'll get him." Castle encouraged.

Kate sat back in her chair taking her concentration off of the computer and turned toward Castle, "You don't know that Castle."

"No I don't, but I do know you and you don't give up." Castle stated the obvious.

"I'm not a miracle worker Castle." Kate reminded.

"Oh I don't know detective. I think it depends on what you consider a miracle." Castle replied as the elevator opened showing Ryan, Esposito and Annika.

Beckett inhaled and stood, Castle admired her strength from his seat for a moment then he stood as well. Ryan, Esposito, and Annika walked up to Kate's desk.

"I called Annika's case worker Lillian Martin on the way over and she should be here any minute." Esposito stated.

"Ok, good." Beckett nodded at Espo, but her eyes gravitated to Annika, "Annika you can set your bag down next to the chair by my desk if you like." Everyone was silent as they waited on Annika's response. Kate added, "It will be safe here."

"Thank you detective Beckett." Annika walked over and set her bag down beside Castle's chair by Kate's desk.

"You're welcome. You can call me Kate." Beckett added and Annika nodded.

"Annika, would you like something to drink as we wait on your social worker?" asked Beckett, but before Annika could even answer, the elevator disposed Mrs. Lillian Martin who hastily walked over toward Kate's desk to join the group of detectives and Annika.

"Can someone tell me exactly what is going on? Who is in charge?" asked Mrs. Martin skipping hello's.

"Yes, follow me into this room." Beckett said to Mrs. Martin as she led her into a small empty waiting room of the precinct.

The two sat down facing one another. Kate cleared her throat, "I'm sorry Mrs. Martin I cannot give you details as to why Annika is going to be placed in protective custody only that she is." Beckett explained quickly jumping to the point.

"I understand, but I cannot sign her off to you until I know who she is going to be staying with." Mrs. Martin explained.

"Mrs. Martin I completely understand your concern, but I do not even know who she will be staying with at this moment. I do know she will be with agents who will be able to properly protect her and have police training." Beckett explained.

It was then Esposito and Ryan escorted an agent from protective services into the room with Beckett and Mrs. Martin, "Beckett this is agent Williams. Agent Kim Williams this is detective Beckett and Annika's social worker Mrs. Lillian Martin." Said Esposito.

Beckett and Mrs. Martin both stood and shook Williams hand. When the three sat Williams got straight to the point. "Detective Beckett I understand you are leading Annika's parents murder investigation."

"Yes, I am." Beckett confirmed.

"Without evidence of a direct threat you do understand Annika is not eligible for protective custody." Williams said and Beckett inhaled.

"I have witnesses that state they believe Annika is in danger." Beckett argued, "I interrogated them. It's all recorded." Beckett pressed as Mrs. Martin listened with nervous apprehension.

"It may be recorded, but it is not proof that she is in danger it is still merely speculation." Agent Williams reminded a frustrated Beckett.

"No. No. She fits the program Agent Williams. I'm alerting you to the fact that this child is in danger and needs to live with someone who can keep a trained eye on her until the case is solved." Beckett argued.

"I'm sorry detective, but she does not qualify for our program." Agent Williams reiterated.

* * *

Castle walked past the room toward the soda machine and was waiting for a Pepsi and water for Annika to drop. He picked the two bottles up, but stopped short in his tracks as he overheard the conversation in the lounge.

"Fine. What happens now?" asked Beckett.

"Annika's case remains with Mrs. Martin. Annika will either go back to her original foster parents or somehow find new ones." Agent Williams said addressing both Beckett and Mrs. Martin.

"You are going to let a child in which I have a strong suspicion, a _certainty_ that she is in danger return to a house that you and I both know she will not be safe in? That's ludicrous." Beckett argued.

"Well then why don't you take the girl detective? I'm sure you have more task training than her original foster parents." Agent Williams said a bit fed up with Beckett.

Castle listened closer as silence lingered in the room.

Mrs. Martin turned to Beckett, "You could if you wanted too. I would just need you to fill out some paper work." Mrs. Martin's voice flashed Kate back to the day she had Annika, and the nurse who had nearly said the same thing to her,_ "Ms. Kate I just need you to fill out some paper work now."_

Kate's mind raced for all of ten seconds and then it came to a screeching halt, "Ok, ok. I will take her." she said in a whisper.

Castle high tailed it back to Beckett's desk. God, what had she done?

"Perfect then you won't be needing me anymore. It was nice meeting you." Agent Williams said then stood and left.

"Thank you so much for doing this detective. I can tell you are passionate about your job." Mrs. Martin said.

"Mmm." Kate's once quiet mind was now whirring with a million questions, none of which Mrs. Martin or anyone else could answer for her. What had she just done? It was irrational taking this child in with the job she had. Though, wasn't that the same reason she gave her up. No. There was so much more to it than that. She drew in a deep breath and let it out.

Mrs. Martin pulled papers out of her brief case that was always beside her, "I just need you to sign these papers to be eligible for becoming a foster parent. We will make an exception and speed the process up in this particular case because of extending circumstances."

"Thank you." Beckett managed as she took the pen with trembling hands and started to read the papers placed in front of her through hazy eyes.

* * *

Beckett and Mrs. Martin walked up to Annika and the boys. Beckett smiled nervously as Mrs. Martin thanked her again and turned to Annika. "Annika you will be staying with detective Beckett now. Do you still have my number if you need to contact me?"

Annika lowered her book and nodded yes. Kate glanced at Ryan who had completely lost interest in the file he was reading, but instead would rather burn holes through Beckett with his eyes. Esposito chocked on his Pepsi and Castle's eyes grew large, but he didn't overreact too badly.

Annika kept her eyes on Kate as she sat behind her desk. She hadn't said a word to Annika or the other detectives since Mrs. Martin announced that Annika would now be staying with detective Beckett. Annika furrowed her brow and drew in a deep breath and then released it. She wondered what detective Beckett would be like at home. She had a lot of questions, but none could be answered right now. She glanced over her book at Kate. She seemed nice, it was nice of her to offer to take her in, but she had always had a hard time trusting people and Annika wasn't going to let Kate Beckett become an exception to the rule. In Annika's mind adults were full of broken promises, lies, and consistently let you down.

Every time Kate glanced at Annika she only heard one voice as the rest faded away,_ "Ms. Kate I just need you to fill out some paper work now." _ Ten years ago. What was she thinking volunteering to take Annika into her home? She exhaled deeply and felt Castle gently squeeze her hand giving her just enough reassurance. She smiled a forced almost broken smile, but a smile nonetheless. In four more hours Kate would be going home with Annika for the first time and although she didn't let on, she was terrified.

* * *

I hope it was okay. I'm pretty sure this one is the chapter that sucked the most, but I have been gone every weekend this month and I will be gone again next weekend. I have had no time to write except for tonight. Please leave me at least one review to let me know if you are still interested bc I still have plenty of ideas and have missed writing it :(


	10. Lunch of Champions

Ch.10

"Kate, is it ok if I sit here until you get off of work?" Annika asked and Beckett was silent a moment Esposito, Ryan, and Castle were all standing around her desk waiting for Beckett's response. Beckett smiled inside, why the hell not? Castle does.

"Yes it's fine Annika, although, I will most likely be questioning you some more later on today." Beckett said.

"Ok." Annika was quiet and picked her book up and began to read where she had left off.

Beckett shot Ryan and Espo a look and they went back to their respective desks. After fifteen minutes past Annika looked up at Castle who was sitting in his own chair next to Beckett's desk, "What do you do? You aren't a detective are you?" Annika asked Castle and Beckett smiled slightly.

"I'm a famous mystery writer. I write books for a living." Castle explained.

"That's neat, but I don't understand why a famous novelist is following around a cop. It doesn't make sense. Wouldn't you get in the way of her work? I mean you could get hurt if she didn't watch you all the time and she probably doesn't have time to watch you all the time when she works. So, who watches you?" Annika earnestly wondered.

She was use to her Dad and Mr. Scott never having time for anyone. She was also use to her mother and Jocelyn Scott explaining to her that both Layla and her own father had no time for them because of work.

Beckett's smiled broadened at Annika and Castle's conversation.

"Uh…no, I help detective Beckett solve the crimes. I stay out of the way. I mean every now and then a person does slip up, but I do more good than I do harm. So, no one minds." Castle said.

"I'm glad you are able to help solve crimes Mr. Castle. I just figured without proper police training you could get hurt if she didn't watch you all the time and I didn't think she was able to watch you all the time. You know, like a babysitter does."

Kate was now highly amused by the conversation. Annika's dialogue for a ten year old was quite mature.

"Believe it or not I've saved her life more times than she has saved mine." Castle said and Annika was quiet quickly glancing at Beckett for confirmation. When she didn't deny Castle's words she surmised it to be true.

"Annika?" Kate called and Annika glanced at Kate, "Можем мы только сказать, что он рос из подгузников теперь. Я не должен наблюдать его как близко, но не верить ни одной из сумасшедших теорий. Замок - хороший человек, которому Вы можете доверять, но он походит на ребенка в теле взрослых. Не волнуйтесь, он делает развлечение вещей." _(Let's just say he has grown out of diapers now. I don't have to watch him as closely, but for your information, do not believe any of his crazy theories. Castle is a good man that you can trust, but he is like a child in an adult's body. Don't worry, he makes things fun)._

Annika laughed, "Я понимаю Кейт. Он кажется очень хорошим, и я обещаю, что я не буду вашим способом. Кроме того, я люблю забавных людей, они делают день меньшим количеством того, чтобы переносить. Это опрятно, что он - романист, которого я люблю прочитать. _(It's okay, I understand Kate. He seems very nice and I promise I won't be in your way. Also, I like funny people they make the day less of a bore. That is neat that he is a novelist I like to read)._

Castle piped up, "Hey, this is no fair. Are you talking about me?" Beckett disregarded him for the moment.

"Annika, there is no need to worry that you are in my way. You are staying with me because I want you too. Do you understand that? You are not a burden." Kate's voice had turned serious and it made Annika withdraw into herself as she nodded her head yes acknowledging Kate.

Castle sighed after another fifteen minutes had gone by with Beckett digging up information on Kyle Scott's identity and the relationship he had with Ian Baskov and their alleged illegal pharmaceutical business.

Castle glanced at Annika who was deep in her book and then to Beckett who was deep in concentration on the research in front of her. They both had the same furrowed brow and intense eyes; as if nothing else existed except what they were doing that very moment.

Castle cleared his throat, but neither woman acknowledged him, he cleared it again to no avail. "So, I was thinking because it's practically lunch time I should run out and grab a bite. Do you want anything?" Castle asked the two women whose eyes were rapidly reading and soaking in every bit of information that every word held.

"Did you say something?" asked Beckett.

"I'm going to get Thai if you want me to bring you back food, speak now or forever hold your peace." Castle stated.

Without looking up Annika said, "If you don't mind, can I please have a slice of pizza?"

"Of course Annika. Detective Beckett?" queried Castle.

"I'm not that hungry Castle." Beckett said and Castle didn't argue, because both he and Beckett knew he would bring her something back.

Annika didn't look up as Castle stood and walked toward the elevator, but remained engrossed by the story unfolding on the pages of her book. Beckett returned to researching on the computer, but made a point to subtly glance at Castle as he walked into the elevator. She smiled slightly and returned to digging up anything she could on Kyle Scott.

"Kate where is the restroom?" Annika asked.

"Walk past Esposito and Ryan's desks as if you are heading out of the precinct and it is the first door on your right." Beckett said.

"In the front office?" asked Annika.

"Almost, it's along a corridor that leads to the front office." Pause. "I can show you if you want Annika." Beckett added.

"No, I'm fine I can find the restroom myself. Thanks Kate." Annika said getting out of her chair while setting her book down on her chair and dog tagging her spot.

Annika left her book on the chair when she left and Kate peered over to see what book Annika was so enthralled with. _The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Night-Time by Mark Haddon. _Beckett hadn't heard of it and while it didn't surprise her that Annika's genre of choice wasn't the latest Twilight novel she still was curious as to what the book was about. She flipped it over to read the summary:

_Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the color yellow. _

_This improbable story of Christopher's quest to investigate the suspicious death of a neighborhood dog makes for one of the most captivating, unusual, and widely heralded novels in recent years._

So, she likes mystery novels thought Beckett. It seemed to be a murder mystery about a prodigy who was personally investigating the murder of the neighborhood dog. Who would have thought? She shook her head at a sudden memory.

_She had just pulled up to a crime scene to see Castle kneeling on the pavement petting a dog._

_As they walked to the crime scene together Castle asked, "Hey do you think I should get a dog?"_

_She smiled to herself as she remembered what she'd said, "What am I your wife now Castle?"_

"_Yeah, you're my work wife." Castle replied._

"_No, I'm not your work wife." Beckett replied immediately with a roll of the eye and a hint of annoyance, which was more of begrudging amusement._

_Castle then proceeded to inform her with the excitement of a little kid, "I could get a bloodhound, I could name him Sherlock, and then I could bring him to crime scenes." _

_She shook her head internally rolled her eyes and continued to walk toward the crime scene with her plucky side kick telling him, "No, you couldn't."_

_Castle replied, "Oh, why not? It would be adorable! I could get him to wear a little Sherlock hat and train him how to carry a little magnifying glass."_

_Beckett glared at him a bit annoyed, but more amused than anything. He was such a kid._

_Castle ended their conversation before they entered the crime scene, "Disapproving, judgmental…you're totally my work wife."_

Beckett snapped out of the memory with a roll of the eyes and a smile. Then she set Annika's book, the object that triggered her fond memory, back in her chair. She looked to her computer and began to research Ivan Baskov and Kyle Scott, but stopped short. Annika still wasn't back from the restroom and Kate was starting to worry. Maybe she had become lost on the way back.

Beckett glanced around the pit and cocked her head a bit in surprise as she spotted the supposedly shy child sitting with Ryan and Esposito talking and sharing donuts with them. Then again, maybe she shouldn't be surprised that she was coming out of her shell. Annika had held a pretty lengthy conversation with Castle, so maybe she was becoming more comfortable with the only constant she had, had in the past week; the detectives and writer at the twelfth precinct.

Which, when Kate thought about it, it was a bit odd that after all these years she was suddenly the constant to the child she willingly gave away and left in another country. A child that looked so much like her it was eerie. She smiled a sad smile as she obviously noted Royce didn't have the dominate genes out of the two of them. She wasn't in love with him anymore, but he was the father of her child, a good man, and the first man she had ever truly loved. He also helped ease her pain after her mother's death.

Kate closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath as an overwhelming emotion suddenly washed over her and she exhaled a shaky breath. She didn't understand why it was so hard to look away from Annika and the boys to concentrate on the damn case. She didn't grasp why she had so many fucking knots in her stomach. She was just a child, she shouldn't be so nervous; she shouldn't have to remind herself to sit a little straighter and stop acting so emotional. She shouldn't have to glance up at the cheap square ceiling tiles of the precinct to hide the despair in her face.

She_ should_ have it together damn it! This never happened to her! She drew in another shaky breath and tore her eyes from Annika. She held her breath, just listening to her heart beat and finding comfort in the fact that she had control over when she was going to release the burning sensation of air building in her lungs.

* * *

"Detective Esposito?" Annika stared at an untouched glazed doughnut which Ryan said she could have.

"What's up kiddo?" Espo looked at the mini-Beckett beside him and wondered if she was anything like his boss when she was a child. A curious, yet stubborn ass kid seemed right for Beckett thought Esposito.

"How long have you known detective Beckett?" Annika was curious about the woman she was going home with at the end of the day.

"About seven years. Ryan has known her longer." Esposito admitted.

Ryan looked up from Sylvia Grissom's paperwork. Her body had been transferred to the lab and Lanie now had her on her slab per Beckett's request. "Known who longer?"

"Beckett." Espo nodded toward her desk.

"Oh, yeah. Why?" Ryan wondered.

"Annika wanted to know how long I've known her, so I told her. I said that you've known her longer." Espo explained.

Ryan swiveled his chair to look at Espo and Annika, "Yeah, I've known Beckett for a while." Ryan smiled, "Why?"

"Why does there always have to be a why with you, Bro?" Espo asked shaking his head.

"I don't know why." Ryan reasoned.

Esposito sighed and glanced at Annika, "I don't know how I do it."

Annika said nothing and Ryan looked a bit confused at Espo who had stuffed his mouth with a donut. Then Ryan looked to Annika's untouched doughnut. "Annika, why aren't you eating your doughnut?"

Annika glanced at the doughnut then back to Ryan, "Castle is bringing me back pizza."

Espo chuckled, "Annika, you can eat donuts before pizza – always. You are in a police station with a bunch of detectives - cops. We all eat junk food." Espo paused and glanced at his partner a moment, "Well, most of us eat awesome junk food." Espo explained, "Some of us drink green goop juice."

Annika crinkled her nose and furrowed her brow, "That does not sound very healthy. It sounds like junk, but you like junk…so maybe you should try it."

Ryan glanced at Espo, "Yeah, Esposito."

Espo shook his head at Ryan and Ryan looked at Annika, "Beckett is a good person Annika."

Annika shook her head at the two knuckleheads in front of her who didn't really provide her with much of an answer into her Beckett investigation. Annika heard the elevator open and watched as Castle walked into the break room with a bunch of bags. She looked at the boys who were bantering with one another and looked toward the break room, "Castle just got here. I will be in the break room." She announced to whoever one would listen.

"Okay." Esposito said although he was only half paying attention to her.

Annika hopped out of her chair and started to walk toward the break room when she bumped into a woman, "Wha- Who are you?" asked the black woman with her hair slicked back. She was shorter than Detective Beckett, but Annika had noticed most women were.

Annika had no idea who the woman was so she withdrew into herself, her hands fell to her side, and her eyes periodically grew large. She kept glancing at Beckett and through the window of the break room at Castle as she wished detectives Esposito or Ryan would spot her.

The woman bent over a bit, "Baby, you need to tell me your name. Are you looking for the front office? Where are your parents?"

Annika's eyes grew large and she froze at the mention of her parents. She didn't want to talk of them or the man that told her to keep quiet. She didn't want to share how she knew her parents were dead before the detectives told Mrs. Jocelyn. She just wanted to go eat pizza and read her book.

Castle glanced out of the break room window momentarily to see Kate sitting alone at her desk. He scanned the pit and immediately saw Gates speaking to a withdrawn silent Annika. Shit. Why was she alone? Castle left the food and walked out of the break room toward the captain and Annika. Kate saw Castle walking quickly out of her peripheral vision and looked up to see where he was going. She spotted his destination immediately. Shit.

"Hi Captain." Castle smiled and Annika looked up at him with pleading eyes, familiar eyes.

"Mr. Castle do you know this little girl?" Gates was genuinely curious.

Castle spoke in a hushed voice, "We are investigating her parents…'" Castle leaned in toward the Captain and quickly whispered, "…murder. She is in protective custody." He prayed she didn't ask with whom.

"Do you know when protective services will be here?" Gates wondered.

"Actually, you see, Annika didn't fit their program. Although, we do have evidence she is in danger." Castle said and Annika looked up at him and then started to pick at her cuticles nervously.

"Mr. Castle, who is in charge of this investigation?" Gates asked with closed eyes inhaling and exhaling a deep breath.

Castle glanced at Beckett who was listening to Castle and Gates while she pretended to do paper work. "Detective Beckett?" asked Gates and Castle nodded yes. "Stay with…."

"Annika, her name is Annika." Said Castle.

Gates nodded her head, "Okay, just please stay here with Annika while I go and speak with detective Beckett."

"Okay, but, we haven't eaten and the food is in the break room so I was thinking that we would go get a bite to eat in the break room." Castle smiled.

Gates forced an impatient smile, "Yes, Mr. Castle go and eat."

"Thank you!" Castle smiled, "Come on Annika, I bought three slices of pizza. I figured you would eat two and Beckett might want one. Oh, and I bought a diet coke for you and one for Beckett. My daughter and Beckett both like the taste of diet coke better than regular coke, so I thought it might be a girl thing."

Annika followed Castle into the break room and stood near the table in the middle of the room as she watched Castle take the rest of the food out of the bags and set them on the table and then proceed to put the rest in the staff refrigerator before he sat down. "Well, are you going to sit down with me?"

Annika said nothing as she pulled a chair out and sat. She stared at him as he shoveled a slice of pizza into his mouth. "Don't mind Gates…" Castle glanced toward the window, "…I just hope she goes easy on Beckett." Annika glanced at the window and then to Castle who was looking in its direction.

"Detective Beckett?" Gates asked and Beckett looked up immediately.

"Sir?" Beckett hoped her Captain was in a very understanding type of mood today.

"I just ran into a little girl, in the pit. I believe her name is Anna. Castle said her parents were murdered and she is in protective custody." Gates said.

"Yes sir. Her name is Annika." Beckett was now standing facing her captain.

"Why did Mr. Castle say that Annika does not fit into the program for protective services when you supposedly have evidence that this child is in danger?" Gates folded her arms and tilted her head in question.

"Because Castle is correct, protective services have already been down here and denied Annika access to their program." Beckett explained inhaling a deep breath and releasing it.

"Why is that?" Gates wondered a bit annoyed.

They are assholes, sir. Is what Beckett wanted to say, instead she went with, "The evidence, while recorded, and from our main suspects wife is not sufficient. It is not concrete enough."

Gates shook her head, "Well then how is she in protective custody?"

Beckett was silent a moment and searched her captains eyes, "I agreed to foster her for the time being. I'm a cop and so it seemed like the right thing to do. I have the training."

Gates eyes pierced Kate's. The captain inhaled a sharp deep breath and let it out slowly. So, much for the understanding mood…

* * *

Annika stared at Castle; it was obvious he was worried for her. Annika wondered exactly what kind of relationship Castle and Kate had. They weren't married, she knew this not because neither wore a ring, but because Castle wasn't going home with them and married people would not work together. Well, so closely together – her parents didn't. They would especially not sit right beside each other all day. At least all of the married people Annika knew wouldn't. Castle also had a daughter, but Kate never mentioned any children. This made her wonder of Castle's daughter. Did she live with Castle or her mother? How old was she?

Castle looked to Annika, "Good pizza?"

Annika nodded yes.

"You know Kate is a good person, right? I've known her three and a half years and she is…" Castle looked away toward the window and then back to Annika, "…she is…"

Annika tilted her head ever the slightest, "Extraordinary?"

Castle's baby blues crashed into Annika's, "Yeah, yes. What made you use that word?" Castle asked curious and eager to know.

"You used it to describe her in the acknowledgements of your book." Annika replied.

"Where did you find my-" Castle started to ask.

"She keeps it in her desk drawer." Annika smiled a barely there soft familiar smile which in turn made Castle smile as well.

"You went in her desk drawer?" Castle shook his head, a huge smile on his face.

"No. She took it out and accidentally left it on her desk while she went to the restroom or somewhere. It was obviously when you were getting food." Annika continued, "So, I glanced through the pages because I saw it was a book that you wrote. That was nice of you to write that about Kate." Annika said quietly.

"I meant it. She is extraordinary." Castle told Annika.

Annika was quiet a moment observing as Castle made a disgusting face because he accidentally took a sip of Beckett's diet coke, "Oh, my God! That taste like…wow! Yep, it's bad."

* * *

Gates pierced her lips and crossed her arms, "Detective Beckett, you are not protective services. There are statures on the law detective. Statures you must follow."

"Yes, sir." Beckett exhaled. Gates turned to leave, but something, an emotion of sorts rose inside of Beckett, "Sir?"

Gates turned on her heel, "Yes detective?"

"I'm a cop and Annika is in danger. Why jeopardize not only her safety, but the safety of whoever fosters her when I can and I have task training?" Beckett tried.

"Because you are the detective leading her parent's investigation, you know anyone associated with the case especially the leading detective is prohibited from becoming involved with anyone involved in the case." Gates said turning to leave, but Beckett called out again.

"Sir?" It was evident in Beckett's tone that she was clinging to hope and tamping down frustration.

"Yes detective?" Gates was fed up with their conversation as well.

"It's not prohibited. It's frowned upon, but not prohibited and I'm not going to let anything happen to Annika. It...it would just be a shame to loose her to the system when she is such an intricate part of this case." Beckett stood her ground as she drew in a breath and held it while awaiting an answer.

Gates rolled her eyes, "Fine, fine. I don't care, but detective you better not get into any trouble with this kid. You are one of my best detectives and I don't need anything happening to you because for some reason you decided to play protector to a child involved in your murder investigation."

"Yes Sir." Beckett exhaled her voice light, and void of frustration. Gates exhaled and shook her head as she finally was able to walk away from Beckett. Beckett's lips turned up ever the slightest as she looked toward the break room.

* * *

Kate appeared in the entryway of the break room and two heads shot up at her, "Care if I join you?"

"What do you say Annika?" asked Castle.

Annika shrugged her shoulders, her eyes glancing back and forth from Castle to Kate. Beckett knew she still needed to question Annika, but it could wait until after lunch. There was still so much to be done with the case.

Plus, she had a feeling Lanie was going to call her down to the lab right before she walked out of the office. All in due time Kate thought as she heated the pizza slice up that Castle had bought for the 'not hungry' Kate and joined Annika and Castle at the table.

* * *

I know this chapter is just...eh...but it is here...lmk if you guys are still interested and give me suggestions (likes/dislikes of chaps.) I promise I will get to the case, Caskett -eventually, Annika and Kate time, and more in depth psyche etc...I just did what I could today. Annika is starting to open up a bit more. Oh, the next chapter will be deeper ;)


	11. Just Saying

I just felt the need to let everyone know I have definitely not given up on this story and it will absolutely not be let go. Life has just taken over and work is now making me travel this upcoming weekend - the one thing I told my roommate: One request Monday I'm watching Castle lol. Anyway, I still know where I am going with this story so please don't give up on it or me just because life has become hectic right now. I've already started the next chapter. I just don't want this story to get boring and I have a lot to work into it...I want to give you guys the chapter you deserve especially after such a long wait. I will post asap.

Have a good weekend - and omg Still! Though, it was switched with the episode after that because of the Boston bombing (I'm so glad they caught those guys btw). Anyway, both episodes have me aaahhhh...

Meg


	12. So Many If Onlys

So, this is about 4k words. It is half of an original whole chapter, but the original was too long. It's not really edited, but at least it's up. I have to go out of town for work and figured the least I could do was get this up for my very patient readers. I hope I am still doing this story some justice.

* * *

So Many If Onlys

Annika was sipping her diet coke through the straw. Suddenly, her eyes transferred to the third woman who walked into the break room. Annika continued to stare at the woman, straw still firmly held tight in between her lips as she sipped the cool liquid through the plastic straw.

"Alexis? What are you doing here? Why?" Castle was surprised to see his daughter and lifted his slice of pizza.

"No thanks dad. I needed to ask you a question." Alexis said her crystal blue eyes piercing the room as they scanned over everyone in the room, cataloged, and processed them. Just like her father, Alexis' wheels were always turning a million miles an hour.

"You couldn't have just called me?" Castle wondered.

"I can't just stop by to see my dad? I was on tenth and thought I would swing by to say hello." Alexis joked with a smile as she walked up to Castle. Annika was now sipping her soda making noisy slurping sounds as she sucked the last of the diet soda through the straw and watched Alexis intently. So this was Castle's daughter, she was about the age Annika predicted she would be.

Alexis put her arm around her father and Castle smiled, "Of course you can stop by to see me anytime you want, unless you are supposed to be in school."

"Really dad? You would kill my choice of hang out to skip school at a police station with my father? I'm crushed." Alexis mockingly put her hand over her heart.

"Okay, okay. I got it." Castle said, Alexis' question still unasked she looked to Beckett and Annika.

"Hi Detective Beckett, who is this?" Alexis asked referring to Annika with a smile.

What a loaded question thought Kate. She felt Castle glance at her when Alexis asked her who Annika was. Alexis didn't miss her dad and Beckett's unspoken words; the quick glance shared by the two, which was much, more than a glance.

Alexis had grown to understand that no one would ever understand the fine balance of a world unknown, and the alienated language only understood by the two that live in it. She glanced at her father for an answer and back to Beckett.

"Alexis, this is Annika. She is under my protective custody for now." The words sounded a bit foreign. _Was she okay with just for now?_ _What if down the line she wasn't?_ So many ifs. Beckett smiled slightly at Alexis and Annika then glanced up at Castle for a bit of reassurance. She didn't know she did it, it was an unconscious habit. He always seemed to be right next to her for her to look up and take that extra bit of comfort when needed. Next to her, and willing to give and share as much of it as she needed, always. Her subconscious knew this, even if her conscious state wasn't ready to acknowledge the fact of the matter. She was in love.

"Hello Annika." Alexis smiled at Annika who was still sucking every last drop of diet coke up through her straw. She eyed Alexis, but didn't say a word. Alexis looked at Beckett and then to her dad.

"It sometimes takes her a moment." Castle smiled a bit of a forced smile and Alexis took a step closer to Annika and sat down in a chair beside her.

"What are you drinking?" Alexis wondered, "Whatever it is, it looks like you could use some more."

Annika studied Alexis a moment debating whether to talk to her or not. Alexis must look like her mother, she had blue eyes like her father, but Annika didn't see much of Castle in Alexis. Silence ensued as Beckett and Castle watched the girls. Beckett inhaled a breath as she realized she wasn't watching any two girls. She was watching their girls. Their children interact and that thought alone was a heavy one. She exhaled a shaky breath never taking her eyes off the girls, except for when she felt Castle's eyes on her and she looked up to catch his eye. She held it and in that moment he understood and gave her a slight smile. One that wouldn't mean much to most, but would help Kate make it through the day.

"What was your question, the one for your dad?" Annika's curiosity and quick change in subject caught Alexis off guard.

Alexis smiled at Annika, "I wanted to ask him if he could please go grocery shopping before he came home or give me his card so that I can, because my Grams has a date and she said she won't be able to go shopping for us." Alexis made sure she spoke loud enough for her father to hear her.

Beckett looked at Castle chuckled and shook her head slightly.

"I'm drinking diet coke. Your dad said you and detective Kate like diet coke so it must be a girl thing and so he bought me one too." Annika jumped back to their previous discussion of what type of liquid was absent from her drink.

Alexis laughed lightly, "Yes, I like diet coke as well. Would you like some more Annika?"

"There isn't any more," Annika told her simply.

Alexis bent down to her large purse beside her and pulled out an unopened plastic bottle of diet coke from a vending machine. "Surprise, surprise." Alexis handed the bottle to Annika and stood and turned to her father.

Suddenly, Ryan appeared in the break room. He stopped suddenly looking over the four people staring at him, take out spread across the table. Beckett stood, "What is it Ryan?"

"Lanie called, she said she should have Grissom's cause of death by tonight if you want to swing by the lab before you leave," Ryan added, "Oh, and the conference room is free."

"Thanks Ryan," Beckett said.

"Yeah," Ryan turned and left, still momentarily running the unexpected picture of Alexis Castle, Castle, Beckett and Annika staring back at him over lunch in the break room.

Alexis turned to her father, "I guess this means I'm going shopping?" Alexis said knowing her dad would stay with Beckett until she was done with her shift tonight, and it looked as if it was going to be a long night.

Castle exhaled and nodded yes.

Alexis hugged her dad as he gave her his card for groceries, "See you later detective Beckett. It was nice meeting you Annika."

"Bye Alexis," Beckett said as Annika slowly pulled the plastic soda bottle toward her and smiled a faint smile as Alexis waved bye and left.

Beckett started to pick up the trash and leftovers on the table and throw them away. Castle noticed and hurried to help her. Annika watched the two as she rested her chin on the top of the bottle that Alexis gave her.

Castle stretched and put a hand on his stomach, "New York Pizza slices sold on the corner equals best pizza in the world!"

Annika and Kate looked at each other. Beckett rolled her eyes at Castle causing Annika's face, which still rest atop the soda bottle, to turn into a large smile.

"Oh, come on you two. You both ate that pizza and you know you loved it." Castle said trying to prove his point.

Beckett smiled at Castle and then looked to Annika, "Come on Annika, Ryan said the conference room was available. We better use it while it is free. I still have to stop by the lab to see Lanie before we leave tonight and it's already", Beckett paused to look at her watch, "two seventeen."

Annika stood grabbed the soda Alexis gave her and pushed her chair back in, "Okay."

Annika's voice was more of a whisper again, her outgoing stint seemingly short-lived.

The trio walked toward Beckett's desk and Annika hopped up into what had become 'her' chair as Castle sat in what was his. Kate sat down in her own chair unaware of her audience.

Ryan was sitting at his own desk and swiveled in his chair to look up at his partner standing next to him looking at the trio as well. Ryan broke the silence, "I went into the break room to tell Beckett Lanie called."

Ryan looked up at his partner and Javi waited for him to go on, "Little Castle was in there. It just caught me off guard, you know?"

"No, I really don't. She is just a kid. Bro that's gross." Espo tried to make a joke, it fell flat.

"Javi, they were all in there; mini Castle, Big Castle, mini Beckett..." Ryan started.

"…Oh."

"Yeah," Ryan didn't know what else to say.

"Let's try and forget about the personal aspects of this case and just solve it as fast as we can for everyone involved. I think Kate is going to need more help on this one than she thinks," Javi said as he set the 2003 unsolved Russell Gish case file down on Ryan's desk and walked back to his. Ryan looked at Javi as he walked away and then opened the file. His eyes grew a little large at what he saw and he looked at his boss now walking with Annika toward the conference room. Yes, she was indeed going to need help with this one.

* * *

Annika found herself back in what was becoming a very familiar conference room. Beckett sunk down into the chair across from Annika, she found she and Annika were the most comfortable around each other when she questioned her. She didn't like that, that was the case, but it seemed to be and Kate wasn't going to question why that was. She only was going to try and find out what Annika knew, and Kate knew that she Annika knew quite a bit.

"So, good pizza?" Kate asked.

"Yep," As soon as Annika crossed the threshold to the conference room her walls become iron clad. Now she sat staring back into Kate's eyes, her arms crossed with a perfected poker face.

"I spoke with Jocelyn Scott and Layla Annika." Beckett didn't waste any time.

"It's why you took me from the Greenways," Annika stated and Beckett should have known she would have figured it out, but she still was a bit surprised. Annika noticed Kate's eye twitch in surprise, "I heard Mrs. Greenway, Ryan and Esposito talking while I was reading in my room at the Greenway's. The door isn't soundproof and neither are the walls. I heard Ms. Martin when she came into the precinct as well. She was upset. I also noticed the people from DCF and Protective services. I'm pretty observant detective. I figured out when Ryan said that you figured I would be better in the custody of someone with police training that Jocelyn was the one that must have said something to you." Annika exhaled.

"Why Jocelyn?" wondered Beckett.

"Because Layla doesn't know enough, and I wouldn't need protection if you took care of what I'm afraid you won't be able too." Annika drew in a breath and released it slowly.

"Then tell me what or who you are afraid of so I can protect you." Beckett held Annika's stare pleading with her.

Annika squinted and leaned forward, "Вы уже знаете кто детектив." (You already know who detective).

Beckett tamped down her startled emotion and faster racing heart and forced herself to concentrate, "I know you believe Kyle Scott is a man named Russell Gish."

"Номер Вас знает то, что госпожа Скотт сказала Вам. Который, является только предположением, потому что это не прибывало от меня." (No. You know what Mrs. Scott told you. Which, is only speculation because it did not come from me).

"Well it had to come from somewhere Annika. Where did it come from?" asked Beckett in a stern voice.

Annika stared Kate straight in her eyes, "I don't know."

"I don't appreciate being lied too Annika." Beckett said and Annika looked at the diet coke she brought into the conference room. It was sitting on the table and she reached for it and opened it.

"I don't appreciate my parents being murdered," Annika challenged then took a sip of her diet coke.

"Neither do I Annika, but you have someone that is willing to help you solve your parents murder. Someone that will help and protect you until you can put this case to rest. Until you are safe and justice is found. We're working on a lead. We're trying our best Annika." Kate didn't realize Annika would see so easily inside one of Beckett's many layers.

Annika set the soda on the table and listened since she heard the detective say 'but at least' which insinuated one or both of her parents were murdered as well. Kate saw the wheels turning in Annika's eyes as she pieced together one of the many layers to the Beckett onion.

"I'm sorry you didn't have anyone to help you." Annika said after a long moment of silence between the two.

"What are you talking about?" Beckett asked confused.

"One or both of your parents were murdered. You can tell by how badly you want to solve my parent's murder and the way you said _at least_. I can tell because of your eyes. It's okay, lots of people's eyes give them away, not just yours." Annika reassured Kate who swallowed and realized she suddenly didn't want to be in the conference room with a ten year old version of herself anymore. Though, she had no choice. So, she sat back in her chair drew in a deep breath let out a shaky one and nodded.

"My mother," Kate's voice was a whisper.

Annika nodded and Kate inhaled and exhaled, "So, why don't you tell me about Russia, the cd you found, what you heard on the cd, and how you knew your parents were in danger."

"I think you would need the cd to believe me. No one else does." Annika challenged.

"You know what I think?" Beckett leaned forward, "I think you can tell me where to find that cd and I think you went down stairs in the middle of the night for some reason and you ran into Kyle Scott leaving the house in the middle of the night. I bet Jocelyn Scott told Kyle about the cd you found of him as Russell Gish and he knew you to be overly curious. I think Kyle knew the police were going to show up the next morning to inform them that your parents were gone. What he also knew was that if he didn't scare you into not talking he would be in deep shit Annika. That is what I think." Beckett leaned back into her chair.

"Everyone is allowed to believe in whatever they want detective. It doesn't mean it's true." Annika was trying her hardest to lie to Kate's face and pull it off, but for someone she didn't even talk much to except in the conference room the detective sure did know how to read her.

"You remember how you said lots of people's eyes give them away, not just yours. I have news for you Annika. Yours aren't as closed off as you think." Annika straightened up in her chair and drew in a breath.

"I'm sorry Kate," her voice was a whisper the once strong child was staring intently at the soda Alexis had given her as she spun it around.

Curious and empathetic Beckett lowered her voice, "For what Annika?"

Annika stopped turning the bottle and looked up into Kate's eyes, "I want to tell you, I do. I just can't right now. I'm sure I will like you, but I miss my mom and dad detective. I'm sorry you don't have a mom either." Beckett felt bad, she had pushed. Now she felt horrible for it. She wanted justice, but she had to remember. While, Annika was very mature she was still just a ten year old who wanted her mommy and the case was wearing on her.

"Of course," Beckett exhaled.

"Can we go see Castle now?" Annika asked and Beckett smiled.

"Yeah, let's go find the pizza man." She rose from her chair across from Annika.

* * *

Beckett took another deep breath when she walked out of the conference room, she immediately scanned the pit for Castle. He was sitting at her desk, in her chair, on her computer going through only God knows what.

Beckett and Annika walked up to him, "Beckett you won't believe what-" she gave him the look.

"Why are you at my desk, in my chair, on my computer?" asked Beckett and Annika looked from Beckett to Castle.

"Uhhh, I was working, helping, with the case." Castle said smiling a 'forgive me' smile.

"Castle get out of my chair." Beckett said sternly.

"Fine, fine, geez get all cranky about it." Castle said jokingly as he moved to his chair, "Isn't she cranky Annika?"

"Castle! Seriously?! You are not a cop! How many times..." Beckett gritted her teeth annoyed with everything that had accumulated in such a short matter of time and went off on Castle, "...Castle I've told you not to sit here. You can't help like that on the case Castle! And your wild theories are not as helpful as you think Castle! Hell, Gates has been trying to tell you that for over a year." Beckett didn't realize most of the pit was trying not to look at the car wreck in the middle of the bull pen.

She didn't mean any of it. The last straw had finally broke. She wasn't annoyed with Castle. She was annoyed that her past had come back to haunt her without any warning, annoyed that Annika looked so much like her it was painful, annoyed that Castle had been nothing but help that was so hard for her to accept, annoyed that she was annoyed at stupid things and frustrated as hell that she didn't know what to do about almost any of them. She had questions that she didn't know the answer to never mind today, but what about say a week or even a month or so from now. She wanted to leave, to run away.

Annika had slunk quietly into her chair as she watched Beckett go off on Castle. She watched as Beckett made eye contact with her momentarily disappointed not only at her outburst at Castle, but that Annika had witnessed her outburst. Kate sat down, rest her head in her hands and closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry Castle. I just-"

"I know, it's okay."

Beckett thought, if only she could find all the answers. She was willing to look for them, even if it was hard. She was prepared for hurt. It seemed every chapter in her life was full of pain anyway. Why should she expect any other chapter to be any different? She had always been prepared to flip the page and maneuver her way through the storyline.

Though, this time she found she didn't want to expect another painful chapter. No. This time, more than ever, she wanted her happy ending. She hoped for it because, honestly she didn't know if she was as strong as everyone thought she was. She was unsure if she was prepared to carry not only her pain, but that of another. If only the answers would come to her, like words came to Castle for one of his books.

The three of them were quite as Beckett worked on digging up the past in the computer, Castle played his angry birds, and Annika picked up her book and became lost in an ethereal world. Books had always given her an outlet in her complex life and right now she really needed them.

* * *

Ryan walked over to Esposito's desk and Espo swiveled his chair to look up at his partner, "Yo."

"I'm almost half way through the Gish file," Ryan admitted in a low voice.

"Oh." Esposito knew what he had found, his face was grim.

"Beckett's friend is connected to Russell Gish. The one that helped deliver Annika took over what looks to be Gish's old partner's spot." Ryan said.

"Shitty, huh?"

"Yeah, this means Russell's old partner was Ivan Baskov, our vic, and Annika's father." Ryan said almost as if it were a revelation of sorts.

"I know." Javi said shaking his head as he glanced up at Beckett and shook his head. "People really get on my nerves." Espo mumbled under his breath.

* * *

Annika looked up suddenly when Beckett's phone rang, "Hey girl, we're ready for you. You better be coming to visit me tonight. Ms. Grissom and I have been waiting on you for a while now. I told Ryan to tell you, he _did_ tell you didn't he?" asked Dr. Lanie Parish.

"Yes, Lanie Ryan told me," and then looked to her watch.

"I know you are checking the time. Don't you check the time, I'll tell you what time it is. It is time for you to go home. Actually, no scratch that. It's time for you to come down here and see me and then you can go home. Kate it's four and you will spend a half hour getting here and a half hour or more down here. By the time you get back it will be time for shift change. Leave now and I will see you soon." Lanie said, but Kate thought quickly.

"Lanie, wait, I can't bring Annika to the lab." Kate said wondering what she was going to do with the girl.

"Who the hell is Annika?" asked Lanie.

"She is a ten year old girl that is in my custody for now." Kate let out a breath or the child I gave up for adoption ten years ago in Russia.

"First, I'm not even going to ask you why you have a kid in your custody. Second, Alexis was just about to leave. She needed me for some recommendation. She said something about grocery shopping, do you want me to stop her?" asked Lanie.

Kate thought a moment, she knew Annika couldn't walk into the lab, but she also knew Alexis needed to go grocery shopping or it wouldn't get done.

"Put Alexis on the line." Asked Kate.

"Okay, okay. Here she is." Lanie gave the phone to Alexis and pretended to not listen to the one sided conversation.

"Alexis?" asked Beckett.

"Is everything okay with my dad?" Alexis wondered always one to jump to the worst.

"No, I mean yeah, yes. Your dad is fine I was actually wondering if you could do me a favor?" Kate hoped the teenager would.

"Yes?" Alexis wondered.

"I know you need to go grocery shopping, but could you watch Annika around the lab for a moment while your father and I ran down to the lab to discuss the case with Lanie. I don't want Annika in the morgue and since she is in under my protective custody she isn't supposed to be out of my sight. Though, I trust you and so does Annika, Alexis." Beckett's voice was serious like the teenager was used to hearing, but there was also a hint of vulnerability or maybe even sadness in her voice that she wasn't used to hearing.

"Yeah, yes. I will see you soon detective Beckett." Alexis smiled and handed the phone back to Lanie.

"Why does Alexis not seemed surprised that you have a kid in your protective custody?" Lanie demanded.

"She met her earlier today Lanie." Explained Beckett.

"Ryan and Esposito know too don't they. Girl, you have some explaining to do. Why am I the last to know everything?! Oh, you and a kid, this is going to be fun. See you soon honey." Lanie said and hung up.

"Lanie?" asked Castle.

"Yeah, come on we need to go discuss Sylvia Grissom's case with her." Beckett said and Castle glanced at Annika and back to Beckett. Beckett felt his eyes on her; "Alexis is going to watch her." she smiled knowingly.

"How? When did you-" Beckett cut him off.

"I'll explain on the way. I don't want to keep her late. She still has grocery shopping to do Castle." Beckett eyed him and smiled. "Come on Annika, we have to go meet a friend of mine."

"And mine!" added Castle.

"That's debatable." Beckett argued.

"Hey. I take offense to that." Castle mocked hurt.

When the three walked past Esposito and Ryan's desks they stopped short. "Hey, Ryan we are going to pay Lanie a visit. I'll be back for shift change."

"Okay." Ryan said and smiled at Annika.

When Esposito heard the elevator shut with Castle, Beckett and Annika inside he looked up at Ryan. "Yo. Bro?" his voice was a strained whisper, but it was enough to get Ryan's attention.

"Yeah?" wondered Ryan.

"You know the main reason Eve covered for Beckett was because she knew Beckett and Metcalfe were after Gish. There is no way Beckett could have asked a doctor to risk her practice. So, she knew her as a friend, but come on. How realistic is asking someone to lie to the police and forge records for you. She couldn't have been that good of a friend, we have never even heard of Eve. She probably barely knew her except for when she spent a semester abroad with her. I mean I could understand if there was a lot of money involved, but Beckett didn't withdraw a large amount to go over there and she isn't a millionaire." Espo said frustrated.

"Hey, we have never heard of Annika either." Ryan pointed out.

"That is different and you know it." Esposito glared at Ryan for suggesting what he had and Ryan agreed immediately.

"Okay, so who is going to tell Beckett?" asked Ryan.

"Rock, paper, scissors?" asked Espo.

"No." Ryan glared.

"Fine, we tell her together." Esposito said.

"And soon." Ryan added.

* * *

When Lanie hung up the phone she turned to Alexis, "Okay, so spill."

"What?" Alexis looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"Why is Beckett protecting some kid? Why isn't the kid under child protective services custody?" Lanie asked curiously.

"I'm unsure of the details. Beckett should tell you. I don't think Annika fit their protocol or something I honestly have no idea." Alexis looked frozen, she didn't like when people pressed her for information.

If only they both knew the kid wasn't just some kid. So many 'if only's.

* * *

So, Beckett's doctor friend, Eve who delivered Annika is connected quite heavily to the case. Alexis met Annika, The stress of everything is finally wearing on Kate and Annika as well. Looks like Kate and Annika have about the same length rope. Oh, and Lanie made her appearance via telephone this chapter at least! Also, I hope I didn't fail you guys.


	13. On My Mind

On My Mind  


It wasn't long until Castle, Beckett, and Annika walked through the swinging doors of the lab. They were not in the morgue so there were no dead bodies. Lanie and Alexis met them at the door and they walked around to a back room in the lab quickly. There was more lab work back there along with computers. As they walked into the room memories assaulted Alexis and she inhaled. It wasn't long ago she was working long nights cataloging victims with Lanie. She missed interning.

Lanie bent down to Annika's level and held out her hand, "Well, hello there honey. My name is Lanie. What is your name?"

Annika said nothing only looked down to the ground and played with her hands, busying them and taking her mind off of Lanie.

Lanie looked to Kate who said nothing. So, Lanie stood up and whispered, "Little shy?"

Kate nodded and drew in a deep breath, "She has been through a lot." Kate looked to Alexis, "Do you have her?"

Alexis smiled, "Of course. We are fine."

Kate nodded again and subconsciously glanced at Castle as they followed Lanie to Ms. Grissom's body. Alexis noticed the glance that Beckett had given her father and it made her wonder even more than earlier, what was going on with Beckett? Earlier when she spoke with her on the phone, her tone was laced with distress. It had an edge to it that made her wonder if the customary glances she gave to her father suddenly meant something else or if she was just overthinking detective Beckett's behavior. She decided to disregard it and turned her attention to the quiet ten year old that was standing next to her.

Lanie stopped next to Ms. Grissom as did Beckett and Castle. "Well, she wasn't poisoned."

"She wasn't drugged?" asked Castle.

Lanie shot him a look, "Nope, Ms. Grissom died of an all-natural heart attack."

"The same day that her son was there?" asked Castle with a hint of disbelief.

"What Castle? Is it not a good enough story?" said Beckett with a wry smile.

Castle thought about it. Maybe Beckett's secret past reveled had made up for the lack of wild theory in this case. Maybe she was right and the Scott's did do it. The tangled web of secrets this case held only seemed to become more intricate with each chapter. He drew in a deep breath and let it out, "Actually, it fits. If Michael Scott was the killer, presumably killing for a large amount of money, then it would make the case to easy. The pieces shouldn't fit so easily. He didn't kill his mom."

Lanie looked at Kate and Kate unknowingly furrowed her brow and folded her arms across her chest, "Too easy?"

"Yeah, too easy," Castle looked at Ms. Grissom, "I think Ms. Grissom would agree."

Beckett and Lanie rolled their eyes and then Lanie held her hand in the air, "Fine Castle, but I have one question before you go anywhere Kate."

Kate looked at her, "Okay, what?"

"How long is this kid going to be trailing you around for? Isn't it against the rules for the detective leading a case to get close to it or something?" asked Lanie.

How long? How long would Annika be around for? She couldn't answer that, because she didn't know the answer. She wasn't prepared to answer it. What was the right thing to do? Was it going to be alright like Castle said? What was she supposed to do now? No one had claimed her and protective services turned her away. She stepped in, but how much longer could or would she do that?

"Kate?" Lanie called to Beckett who was lost in her snowballing wonders and thoughts. Castle glanced at her concerned.

"Yeah? Um, I'm not sure yet. I have to wait for further orders." Kate quickly turned on her heel and started to walk back toward the girls.

Alexis didn't know what to do with Annika at first. So, the two stood awkwardly staring at one another. "Follow me, I will take you to go and get more soda if you want. I see you are out. The soda machine isn't far."

Annika's big eyes studied Alexis momentarily and then she whispered, "Ok."

Alexis smiled and turned and started to walk toward the soda machine with mini Beckett following her. Suddenly, she stopped, "Hey, where are you two going?" asked a smiling Castle seeing Alexis and Annika walking away as he, Lanie and Beckett walked toward them.

Alexis turned around to face her father, Lanie, and Beckett, "I was going to take Annika to get something to drink. She ran out of the diet coke I gave her earlier." Alexis informed her father.

"Oh, honey, we can take her. I know you have to get going," said Lanie.

Alexis forced a smile, "I actually do. Are you guys all finished?"

"We are finished Alexis. Thanks for staying with Annika. We'll let you get going now." Beckett said wanting to get out of the lab sooner rather than later.

Alexis smiled, "No problem detective Beckett. See you tonight dad." Alexis gave her dad a quick hug and looked down at Annika, "Keep an eye on him Annika, he can be a handful." Alexis smiled as she walked out the swinging double doors, "Bye Dr. Parish. Bye guys."

Annika, Lanie, and Castle looked at Beckett as she spoke, "We really need to get going too. I need to get back for shift change. Thanks for everything Lanie." Beckett said and then looked at Annika, "Are you ready to go?" Annika nodded yes and took some hesitant steps in Kate's direction.

"Thanks Lanie. See you Monday." Beckett said as she walked toward the double swinging doors that lead out of the lab.

"Anytime, girl. It was nice meeting you Annika." Annika looked at Lanie, but said nothing.

Lanie watched the three exited her lab and turned to Ms. Grissom shaking her head, "And there she goes again."

* * *

Now a fast paced clicking heeled Beckett walked down the corridor of the hospital followed quietly by Castle and Annika. Annika looked up at Castle as they walked to the parking garage. It was clear Kate was stressed for some reason and ready to head home. Annika wasn't sure she wanted to go home with detective Katherine Beckett. Not when she was in the mood she was in.

Castle felt eyes on him and looked down to meet a ten year old Beckett's eyes. They mirrored Kate's and he knew Kate knew it. The familiar look she got when she was nervous, worried, or in deep thought. The color of Kate's eyes changed depending on her emotions. When she was happy, more green and gold flecks littered her irises. Annika inherited that trait, and now as Annika looked at him, her eyes mirrored her biological mother's more than ever.

Suddenly, he was drawn out of his thoughts and found himself looking back into large, familiar, dark brown orbs mixed with flecks of gold staring up into his blue ones causing him to draw in a breath. He glanced up at Kate's back and sighed as he gave Annika a slight smiled.

Kate could still hear Lanie's voice loud and clear in her own mind, _"How long is this kid going to be trailing you around for?" _Her thoughts raced ahead with questions she was scared to know the answer too, thoughts that made her question her moral, and held answers she wasn't sure she was ready for. While her mind raced ahead with questions that held answers she wasn't able to reach. Annika walked only a couple of steps behind her.

Soon the trio found their selves walking through the parking garage and getting into Kate's car. Annika was quiet and noticed that the usual chatty Castle was as well. The air hung heavy in the car as silence ensued. All that could be heard was the hum of the tires on the pavement as they drove toward the 12th.

Beckett still felt bad and a bit ashamed for snapping at Castle in front of Annika earlier. She knew she was stressed and that the case was finally catching up to her, but she didn't want to recognize it.

Though, it was becoming evident she could no longer ignore the fact of the matter, and snapping at Castle like she had only confirmed what she wished to deny. She was scared. Nervous of bringing Annika home, petrified of the memories she knew most likely would come flying back once she set the little girl up in her guest bedroom. It was finally sinking in, the reality of the case. The terrifying truth that despite everything she once believed, she was going to need a lot more help than she would ever admit aloud. She drew in a breath and exhaled as she put her blinker on and pulled into the parking lot of the 12th. She may not be able to admit it aloud, but at least she was able to admit it to herself now.

When Beckett, Castle and Annika walked into the precinct Beckett noticed Ryan and Esposito were still deep in the case. While, she appreciated their loyalty toward the case she knew Ryan should be getting home to Jenny. She pursed her lips and walked over to the boys, "Go home guys." They both looked up at Beckett, Castle, and Annika.

Esposito smiled a sad smile, "Alright, alright. But you better go home too." He held Beckett's stare.

"I'm clocking out now." Beckett said, "Oh, and Lanie got the Tox screens back on Ms. Grissom. She died of natural causes." Beckett said while Annika glanced past her at the break room. She was getting hungry. Esposito and Ryan kind of figured she died of natural causes. They had ruled out Michael Grissom since they found out that Beckett's so called friend Eve was connected to the case. This case had become much more intricate than any of them ever imagined it becoming.

"Okay, so the guy alibied out. We still have –" Ryan was cut off by Castle who didn't want to speak of the Scott's in front of Annika.

"Yeah, he alibied out." Castle glanced down at Annika and then met Ryan and Esposito's eyes. Ryan and Esposito caught on immediately.

"You, know Beckett you are right. I'm going to head home to Jenny. I feel like I haven't seen her in a month." Ryan said.

It wasn't long after speaking with the boys Beckett clocked out and now stood with Annika and Castle, "So, I guess we will see you Monday, Castle?" Beckett said and Annika watched Beckett with apprehension and keen observation.

Castle smiled a slight smile as the three stood in front of the elevator, "See you Monday, detective. See you Monday Annika." Castle waved at them as they got in the elevator and it closed behind them. He then looked to Esposito and Ryan, "What did you find?"

"Not tonight, Castle. Go home and see your daughter." Ryan said.

"Yeah, she probably needs help putting away the groceries." Esposito said with a chuckle.

"What about you two?" Castle asked, wondering if they lied to Beckett just so she would go home or if either one of them was actually planning on leaving as well.

"Hold the elevator for me." Ryan said as he closed the last window that was open on his computer and quickly hopped up from his desk patting Javi on the back, "See you Monday, Bro," Ryan exhaled as he joined Castle.

"Later." Esposito said as he drew in a deep breath and let it out. Damn this case.

As Castle and Ryan rode the elevator down to the ground floor they were both oddly silent. It was uncomfortable and Ryan finally broke it, "Castle?" Ryan shifted his weight, looked down, and then looked at Castle, "She is going to be ok, right?"

Castle held Ryan's stare a moment, "Yeah, yeah. It's Kate, she will be fine."

Castle let out the breath he didn't know he was holding in and Ryan nodded quickly. The elevator sounded alerting them to the fact they had arrived on the ground floor. Castle looked at Ryan, "See you next week."

"Yeah, see you next week." Ryan said as both men walked to their individual cars all the while trying to convince themselves that what Castle had said in the elevator was actually the truth. That Beckett would be fine, but they both knew the truth of the matter and that is Katherine Beckett was not okay.

* * *

Beckett opened her apartment and Annika looked up at her, "Well, here we are." Beckett said and Annika nodded. Beckett inhaled and walked inside, Annika trailing quietly behind. Then all at once it hit her, she was, no, _she had _- brought her daughter home for the first time.

They walked into the living room and Annika looked around, detective Kate had a big place. Kate watched as Annika looked around silently with large eyes just observing and taking it all in. She held her bag a little tighter and then turned to Beckett, "I'm hungry." Annika said in a voice which, to most people, showed no signs of wavering, only authority. Though, Kate recognized the fear Annika was guarding easily, for her voice sounded the same right now.

"Of course, of course you are. Let's put your stuff in the guest room and get some dinner." Beckett suggested.

Annika eyed Kate for a moment in a type of stale mate. She didn't want to put her stuff down or follow her to the guest bedroom. Though, she really had no choice so she eventually complied, inhaling and taking a step toward Kate. Beckett gave her a slight smile as they both walked into the guest bedroom. Beckett held her arms out to her side, "Well, this is it," Kate and Annika looked around, "You can put your things in the dresser if you want." Annika and Kate both looked at the dresser and Annika nodded.

"I will put it away after we eat." Annika said and Kate scolded herself for not realizing this.

"Of course, let's get something to eat." Beckett walked out of the room, but Annika did not move. Kate stopped and turned around to see what was wrong. She peered in the room unnoticed to see Annika draw in a deep shaky breath and release it carefully. Then the little girl walked over to her new bed and ran her hand gently across the comforter. She looked around at the room and contemplated sitting on the bed. Instead she picked up her pink and black Jan sport back pack and set it down on the floor in between the nightstand and the bed. Kate inhaled and walked out into the living room. Annika saw her leave out of the corner of her eye. She inhaled and looked at the door which was wide open. The light from the living room filtered into Annika's new room. She let out a breath and walked toward the door and Kate. Beckett looked up at Annika's presence in the room, "Hey."

Annika gave a shy smile, but didn't say a word.

"So, I don't have much in the fridge. Are you okay with ordering in? Do you like Chinese?" Beckett had no clue what Annika liked. She was grasping at straws, hell, she didn't even have straws.

Annika nodded her head and then whispered, "Yes."

Kate nodded her head, "Okay, then. Chinese it is." Annika watched as Kate dialed the number, she seemed almost nervous around her, thought Annika. It was odd. "One order of Orange chicken, with a side of mixed vegetables and white rice." Beckett looked up, Annika was waving her hands as to make Beckett stop, "Hang on. What do you want Annika?"

Her voice was so soft, "The same thing, only fried rice." Annika reminded Beckett so much of herself at ten years of age. She drew in a breath and released it.

Soon there was a knock on the door and Beckett answered it with her gun out of her holster and by her side. She tipped the delivery man and took their food to the kitchen table. Both women curled their legs up underneath them immediately. Beckett noticed they both did it, she didn't know if Annika had figured it out yet. Then again why would Annika think it any more than a strange coincidence? She had no idea they were related. Conversation was bleak as they ate in silence.

Annika was the first to break it, "Do you ever go over to Castle's house?"

Always one to over analyze Beckett supposed this meant Annika wasn't comfortable at her place.

"I do. Why? Would you like to go over Castle's?"

Annika shrugged her shoulders, "Maybe, he is funny."

Beckett smiled, "He is isn't he?"

Annika nodded in agreement.

"How is your orange chicken?" asked Beckett.

"It's good. It came from the same place so I bet it tastes just like yours." Annika said and Beckett chuckled.

"Why does a writer follow a police officer around?" Annika asked out of left field. "It doesn't make sense."

Beckett smiled an 'I know' smile, "I tried to tell my Captain that, but it didn't go over well."

"Good thing Castle is a good guy though. It would have been bad if he was all Hollywood and not down to earth." Annika said and while Beckett could have smiled an 'if you only knew' smile, but she didn't. Annika looked up to Castle and right now she could use any role model she could get. Beckett didn't want to tarnish his down to earth dad type personality.

"Yeah, he is. Isn't he?" Beckett said with a smile.

"Mmhhmm." Annika pushed a bit of rice around on her plate and set her fork down, "Kate, we still have to open fortune cookies."

"Ok, ok. Here is yours." Beckett said handing Annika her cookie.

"Thanks." Annika didn't look up at Kate. She might not even have noticed she said thanks, but Kate did.

"Mmmhhmm." Said Beckett. "Well what does yours say?" Beckett prodded.

Annika sat up a bit straighter and opened the small piece of paper up, "One who admires you greatly is hidden before your eyes."

Beckett swallowed at Annika's fortune, but, it was just a silly fortune to Annika, "What does yours say Kate?"

Kate looked at the silly piece of paper in her hand and opened it, "Don't forget, you are always on our minds."

Annika laughed causing Kate to laugh, "Kate, are you trying to tell me something?" Annika laughed completely unaware of the knowledge running through Kate's mind. At least she was laughing.

"Ok, Ok. I do believe it's time to go to bed." Beckett said walking Annika to her room and making sure she had everything that she needed.

* * *

Now changed into her pajamas Annika was lying under the comfortable comforter. She liked this bed it was big and while the room was pitch dark she was so tired she could care less. Annika fell asleep with a full belly not long after she climbed into the large bed.

Beckett picked up her and Annika's dinner and threw it away, pausing momentarily when she got to the fortune cookies. She then put the cutlery in the sink and wiped the kitchen table down. Then she headed to bed to put her own pajamas on. She was now curled up in bed her phone charging not far from her.

Her mind was a mess, she was a mess. She found herself reeling in a million thoughts. The fortune cookies had to be a fluke, why did Annika have to be so much like her? She snapped at Castle earlier today, but she didn't mean it. She didn't. The three of them were so quiet on the way back from the lab. It was evident something was wrong to everyone. Tears welling in her eyes, Beckett rolled over and grabbed her phone. She never lost it like this. She couldn't lose it. Yet, here she was in her room tears rolling down her cheeks soaking her pillow.

She clutched her cell phone in her hand and then finally text Castle.

'_I'm sorry for earlier today Castle.'_

Back at the loft in Castle's room he saw his phone light up with a text from Beckett.

He punched in his code and checked the text. It wasn't like Beckett to apologize twice so she must have been having a rough night and could use somebody. He smiled; someone like him he thought.

'_Don't worry about it. I don't think as many people noticed as you think.'_

'_That's refreshing.'_ Beckett typed and Castle noted it was sarcastic and smiled.

'_How was your night with Annika?'_ Castle asked and Beckett stared at the text.

'_We had Chinese.'_

'_Oh, what was your fortune?'_ Castle asked and Beckett wiped the tears from her cheeks.

'_It was nothing.'_

'_Can't be nothing.'_

Castle waited a while until another text came from Beckett. _'She reminds me of me.' _

Castle inhaled when he read the text, it hurt him to know she was hurting. He knew it took every ounce of courage she held within her to send that text.

'_I can't think of anyone better to be reminded of ' _ Castle sent the text then rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling.

Kate closed her eyes and hugged her pillow as she thought of the little girl in her guest bedroom. Her eyes read over what Castle had sent and she drew in a breath. _'Thanks Castle.'_

Castle smiled at her gratuity, _'Anytime.'_

'_See you tomorrow?' _asked Beckett already knowing the answer.

'_Tomorrow is Saturday, detective Beckett. What are you two doing tomorrow?' _

Beckett sighed, because she didn't have the slightest idea. _'She was fine in the break room before. She likes you Castle. She even spoke about you tonight. She said you were a good person…one could debate…but I think she can make it at the precinct again. I still need her to tell me what she found on the flash drive of Mr. Scott's. Hell, I still need to interrogate him.'_

'_You don't think I'm a good person?' _Castle smiled a smug smile as he sent the text. He realized Beckett was speaking of bringing Annika into the precinct tomorrow.

Beckett opened her new message from her partner and smiled a smug smile of her own. She could practically hear him saying it. Beckett shook her head and sent her message, _'Seriously, Castle?'_

'_Am I not always serious?' _Castle replied almost immediately and Beckett shook her head, her tears starting to subside replaced by the goofy grin she couldn't keep plastered off her face when she was around him.

'_No, you're not.' _Beckett responded. She looked at her phone and quickly sent another message. _'One who admires you greatly is hidden before your eyes. That is what Annika's fortune was.'_

Castle exhaled typing his response, _'and yours?'_

Kate rolled over closing her eyes,_ 'Don't forget you are always on our minds.'_

'_I'd rather be on someone's mind than not.' _Castle sent his message and Beckett now read it and smiled.

'_Touche.'_ Kate exhaled a deep shaky breath and rolled onto her back. It felt good to inhale and exhale. She saw her phone light up with a message and checked it.

'_Tomorrow?' _Castle had only typed out one word on purpose, because Beckett would get it and he knew she would.

_'I don't work tomorrow.' _Beckett made sure he realized this.

_ 'I know. That is the point.' _Castle barely glanced at her text, only responded.

Beckett read his text and smiled. She didn't write anything back because just knowing that 'tomorrow' was coming was enough for tonight. There were still so many questions left unanswered, some she didn't even know where to begin to look for answers too.

Though, they were there it would just take time to find them. She drew in a breath and released it wondering back to Lanie's question; how long was this case going to take to solve? Where did that leave Annika in a week never mind a month? Exactly how long was this child going to be trailing Kate around for?

She found herself reaching for her phone and sending a text, _'Tomorrow.'_

Castle smiled as he saw what she sent, causing him too too send a message,_ 'Tomorrow'_

She saw her cell light up and grabbed it. She opened the text messages and smiled slightly at the single word and the hope it brought. She needed to keep her mind from falling down the rabbit hole and spiraling out of control with past memories and what if's. So, she reread Castle and her text messages when all she really wanted to do was go to bed. She smiled slightly before she set the phone down, curled up under the comforter - and closed her eyes. She could allow herself to smile, especially when she truly felt it was better to be on someone's mind than not.

* * *

I'm totally unsure of this chapter. Sorry if it was a let down. I have had a rough week...at least this chap is up.


	14. Pancakes and Morning Routines

I apologize for being gone. I have nothing more to say about that except gah life. Another one of my nieces 'Castle funnies' I have to mention them. She needed volunteer hours for school so she came into my work. Now there is a sign on the news/inspirational quote board hanging in the hall that says, "Even on the worst of days, there is a possibility of joy." lmao. She handled the work enviroment great and at the end of the day said, "OPD is so much less cool sounding than NYPD. I mean If I heard someone say OPD Stop! I would just think shut-up." lol

* * *

Pancakes and Morning Routines

Kate woke at 6:00 just as she did every morning. Only this wasn't every morning. The daughter she had given away in Russia was asleep in the guest bedroom. Her heart rate quickened and her body subconsciously tensed at the idea of having to greet Annika this morning. She drew in a deep breath, pulled back her comforter, swung her legs out of bed, and stretched like a cat the moment her feet touched the floor.

As she stood up her phone fell to the ground with a loud thud. She bent down and smiled to herself as she picked it up and set it back on her nightstand. He would never truly know how much he helped her, just by being there. She padded sleepily to her bathroom still reeling from the fact that Annika was asleep in her guest bedroom. As she stared at herself in the mirror she let out a shaky breath she didn't realize she had been holding. Her mind swirled so quickly she had to shut her eyes, eyes which she learned were a strong trait of hers. She quickly got into the shower hoping the tranquility of a shower would ease her mind, and wishing the warmth of the scalding hot water could wash away the tangled web of pain she had found herself stuck in. The more she struggled the worse it was for her. The further she dug into this case, the more pain she found. She closed her eyes in the shower and looked up. The water rained down onto her face and washed away the last of the conditioner she had put into her hair.

Annika woke to the smell of pancakes. She lay a moment getting her bearings, ever since her parent's death last week she had spent the night at two different houses, three if you included detective Kate's. She looked at the clock next to her bed. It was 6:57. Annika had always been a child that woke around 7:00, if you are raised in a house where everyone is up early. You inevitably get up early as well. Suddenly her stomach grumbled loudly as the smell of the pancakes became stronger. She sat up threw her comforter off yawned and hopped out of bed, curiosity and hunger drove her into the kitchen.

* * *

Kate was perched on one leg as she flipped pancakes and hummed to some song stuck in her head. Her hair was thrown up in a messy, lose, wet knot on her head. Water droplets had made their way from the ends of her hair to drip onto her oversized purple t-shirt. Kate grabbed a plate that was waiting for her pancakes and took them out of the fry pan and put them onto a plate. Turning to walk to the fridge for the butter she spotted Annika staring at her from just outside the kitchen near the dining table. Surprised she froze as she stared back at the sleepy ten year old version of herself.

Annika stared back and by the grace of God Kate found her voice, "I made pancakes." Beckett gestured to the pancakes from the middle of the kitchen. She still had not retrieved the butter.

Annika nodded.

"Do you like pancakes?" Kate wondered, the butter now in her hand.

* * *

Annika had found Kate in the kitchen making pancakes just as she thought she would be. Though, Annika didn't feel comfortable making her presence known and retreated to the dining table. She quietly sat in a chair that was already pulled out and laid her head sleepily on the dining room table as she watched Kate go about making pancakes in the kitchen. Annika smiled amused as she realized Kate was cooking perched on one leg like a flamingo, and she thought she was the only person in the world that stood like that when relaxing. She knew Layla had been wrong.

Suddenly, she tensed inhaling sharply she quickly picked her head up off of the table. Beckett had spotted her and she didn't know what was going to happen. Would she be mad she didn't say anything? Should she have done something different? Silence lingered as the two stared each other down. Annika remained seated debating if she should stand or not.

Then in an instant the tension was broken, "I made pancakes."

Annika nodded in acknowledgment. Obviously she had made pancakes their smell is what woke her.

As Kate buttered some of the pancakes she turned to Annika, "Do you like pancakes?"

Annika smiled a bit and nodded yes. Kate smiled a small smile she couldn't hold in, "Would you like some?"

"Yes please." Their initial morning greeting now over Annika was more relaxed.

Kate nodded, "Okay, then." Kate reached for another plate and put two pancakes on it, "Good thing I made as many as I did." Kate walked over to Annika and set a plate down in front of her and then placed her own plate opposite the seat Annika sat in.

Annika looked up at Kate, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Kate replied over her shoulder as she returned to the kitchen for syrup and butter. Kate drew in a breath as she grabbed the butter and syrup. She stood a moment quickly glancing at Annika and letting out a shaky breath. She couldn't help but wonder as she stood there; what if she had never given Annika up? Would all of her Saturday mornings be like this? Would she have the same friends? Would she live here? Would she even be a cop? Finally, _what would her dad say?_ Her thoughts were strangling reality and suddenly she found she was drowning in them.

Annika watched as Kate stood still in the kitchen, unwavering, seemingly lost in another world. "Kate?"

Then all out once the water subsided and Kate surfaced drawing air into her lungs. She looked at Annika a bit frazzled, had she said something? Yes, that's right; she had saved her from spiraling out of control.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay?" Annika wondered as Kate walked over to sit with Annika.

Damn, she had noticed. "I'm fine." Kate tried, but she should have known Annika could see through her walls. She was just like her.

Annika was quiet as she doubtfully stared at Kate, "Okay," she took another bite of her pancakes and left whatever was bothering Kate to Kate. It was none of her business and she had enough on her plate then to be troubled with whatever was bothering her new guardian. Although, between the moments of awkward silence Annika ate breakfast in she couldn't ignore the curiosity that ebbed its way into her mind. She pushed it back, but still wonder crept in as to what was wrong with Kate.

"So, what did you want to do today?" Kate asked hesitantly, and Annika looked surprised.

"I don't know. I'm under your watch. I'm unsure of what I'm allowed to do. What is your schedule like today, detective Kate?"

"You can call me Kate." She had told her this before. Was Annika not comfortable enough to call her by her first name? Was remaining a detective, one other person that was helping solve her parent's case, easier to disassociate herself from people?

"Kate." Annika corrected as she stuck another bite of pancake in her mouth, "What do you have on your schedule today?"

Kate was quiet in thought. She never did anything on the weekends. She would go to the gym, go in to work at times, sleep, and run errands. That was basically it. Annika looked at the milk in her glass. She usually drank almond milk and hadn't drunk regular milk for a long time. Kate noticed, "Would you like something else to drink Annika?"

Annika suddenly became shy and withdrew into herself almost scared to ask for something. She didn't want to burden anyone, but she didn't want to get sick either. She stared at Kate not giving an answer, "I have orange juice if you would like?"

Annika nodded yes and Kate nodded back with a tight smile, "Okay, give me a second and I will be right back with the orange juice."

"Okay."

Kate returned shortly setting the orange juice on the table and pouring a glass for Annika. Annika reached for the glass Kate had poured and took a large sip. When she set it down she gave Kate a small smile, "Thank you."

"Yeah, no problem." Kate threw Annika a quick awkward smile. Then her cell rang.

* * *

Annika watched Kate closely while she spoke on the phone, "Beckett."

"Hey Beckett what's up? What are you and Annika up too this morning?" Annika watched as Kate smirked in amusement at whomever she was talking too.

"I'm…" she glanced at Annika, "If you must know we're having breakfast Castle, why?"

"Hhhmm, I bet you made pancakes, huh?" Beckett could hear Castle's smile through the phone.

"Yes, Castle, I made pancakes." Beckett shook her head slightly at Castle as Annika continued to watch Kate intently.

"Good choice detective." Castle smirked smugly on his end of the line.

"Why thanks for your approval Castle." Beckett said dryly as she made eye contact with Annika. Annika smiled and Kate rolled her eyes at Castle making Annika smirk again.

"So, watcha guys doing today?" Castle's voice was full of hope and optimism.

Kate glanced at Annika, "Actually, we were just about to discuss our itinerary for the day."

"Please tell me you aren't going to work." Castle said flatly, but the question held validity.

Kate paused a second.

"Oh. My. God. You are seriously considering going into work." Beckett heard him shaking his head at her.

"Castle, she…" Beckett glanced at Annika who was still ease dropping intently on Beckett's conversation and grabbed her plate taking it into the kitchen so Annika couldn't hear what she was going to say. She put the dishes in the sink and spoke, "…knows more and I might be able to get it out of her. I need to at least try."

"No. What you need to do is come with me to the park today. Lunch is my treat. Give her a break Beckett. She is ten...besides it will be fun to see you in charge of someone other than yours truly." Castle smiled, "Be there in twenty." Castle hung up leaving a speechless Kate listening to a dead line. When Annika glanced over at Kate she saw a woman smiling in begrudging amusement and shaking her head slightly. It made her wonder what Castle had said to Kate.

Beckett walked over to Annika, "That was Castle. He insisted we go to the park with him today." Kate said with all the enthusiasm of a woman being forced to go yard sale shopping with a horrid mother-in-law all day long.

"Okay, when?" Annika on the other hand seemed to like what was on their itinerary so far.

"He said he would be here in twenty." Kate's tone wasn't as deadpan as before. She had noted that Annika's eyes looked a bit happier at the mention of the park or was it Castle so she decided to not be the killjoy. Though, she continued to wonder did Annika want to go to the park or was she just happy to see Castle? No. He couldn't have that effect on all the Beckett women. Could he? She dismissed the thought quickly.

Kate watched as Annika stood and cleared the table without being told too. "Thank you Annika, just leave the dishes in the sink. I will wash them when we get home. We need to go get dressed."

Annika nodded as she put the butter in the fridge and the syrup in the cabinet. Kate nodded back, "I will be right back I'm just going to throw some clothes on."

Annika nodded again and rolled her eyes to herself. Did Kate think she was two? She didn't have to watch her or let her know everything she was doing. That is why she liked hanging out with Castle. Plus, he was silly and Kate acted different when she was with Castle. She was more relaxed.

Kate looked in the mirror as she pulled on her loose fitting tan sweater which hung over her skinny jeans a bit. Her hair was still a big long brunette mess of bed head waves, but it wasn't too bad. If she ran a brush through it, it would only poof out like a poodle so she flipped her head over a few times and ran her fingers through it. It would do. She put on a tiny bit of makeup and then walked out into the living room. Annika was sitting at the kitchen table talking to Castle. She hadn't been in her room but ten minutes.

"Castle?!" Her voice slightly hitched.

"We've been waiting on you Beckett." Castle smiled smugly, "How many times did you change your outfit?"

Beckett glared at him and rolled her eyes. Annika was dressed in jeans and a fitted burgundy sweater. Her hair hadn't been brushed either and Kate smiled seeing that she had learned the same trick of flipping your head over a couple times and running your hands through it. No one ever noticed you didn't brush it.

"Castle you said you weren't going to be here for another ten minutes. How did you even get in anyway?" She looked to Annika, "Did you let him in?"

"Beckett calm down she didn't let me in." Castle held up a key, "I let myself in. I figured it was time I had my own key. You know just in case a crazy person is in here and you need protection from them."

Beckett shook her head at him, "You mean like the one in here now?"

"Actually, I would like to think of myself as...fun." Castle threw her a smug smile.

Kate rolled her eyes, "Is everyone ready to leave?"

Annika nodded yes and Castle jumped up, "Waiting on you."

As everyone walked out the door Kate smiled at the absurdity of her life, of this moment. Castle had taken her house key without her knowledge and had one made for himself. As they all piled in the elevator Kate realized what he did didn't bug her one bit. It was just something she had come to expect from her friend. She glanced at Castle as they rode the elevator down. He was speaking to Annika saying things that were making her giggle.

Kate smiled, because whether she would admit it to herself or not, deep down past all of her denial she _knew_ without a shadow of a doubt that Castle had that effect on both Beckett women. He was the reason for the smiles that graced both she and Annika's lips this morning, not the park. The elevator opened and Castle and Annika walked out at the last second Castle turned and caught Kate's eye. She was staring off into space at Annika and Castle. "Earth to Beckett? Are you coming? We are waiiitinnngg." he whined and she smiled shaking her head at him as she stepped off the elevator and joined them.

I hope it didn't suck too bad bc I really intend to get to the Caskett and case moments in the next chapter so please don't give up...please? I understand reviews are slipping and I need to update more but...life has taken a huge turn for me recently. Hope you enjoyed what I strung together ;)


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